Two Worlds
by Hulkishpower
Summary: Namikaze Minato, strong, fast, well-liked. Namikaze Minato, educated, articulate, millionaire. One becomes the other.
1. Do you know about the Uzumaki?

**Namikaze Minato: ****Life**** and ****Love**** in the New World**

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_Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me, it belongs to Masashi Kishimoto._

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The winds seemed to flutter as the leaves breezed past with a graceful loop; the sun's rays eventually pinning them to the green grassy patch of earth; the sweet scent of the forest mingling with the homey smell of the dirt.

This was home. The home he had grown up all his life. With the grand, carved faces of the Hokages engraved onto the stone mountain watching over them, and the bustle of the streets filled with merchants and shops, food, and the laughter of children, this was home. Konohagakure no sato, The village hidden in the leaves. Befitting his name, his home was surrounded by thousands of trees of all types, spruce, pine, evergreen, tropical, some even sporting vines. To Namikaze Minato, the genius of Konoha, the boy who made Jounin at age 13, this was home. Nothing would ever compare with this undeniably familiar scent.

Standing in the grassy field of training ground 19, Minato took in a deep breath.

It was barely 7 in the morning, and yet he was fully dressed and awake. His hair in the mess that it was always in, his piercingly blue eyes was closed. The winds tousled his hair and caressed his cheeks. Even the air seemed to take delight in Minato's handsome features. His smooth, lightly tanned skin stretched over a well-shaped jawline, and his nose was positioned in just the right spot, and his eyes not too far apart nor too close together. That and his glinting hair that fell almost carelessly over the sides of his face, and the deep, soul-searching blue eyes of his blew all the women off their feet. Despite the fact that he was only 14, all sorts of women seemed to come after him, which in most cases, it was quite disturbing, as Minato did not take kindly to women over eighty blushing at him in the streets of Konoha, nor did he enjoy women's attention any of the time.

He felt uncomfortable under all those heated gazes, and frankly, all of them looked alike to him. He only remembered their names out of courtesy, but in truth, he didn't really care to differentiate. In truth, he was just naturally shy around the opposite sex. The only exceptions were Tsunade, his sensei's teammate, his student Rin, and a few others who were close to him. Groaning internally, he remembered that he was supposed to meet with his team today, and right now he just did not feel like putting up with Obito and Kakashi's bickering.

'Ugh, do I really have to do this today? I have a freakin migraine..' thought Minato, his palm pressing against his forehead. His head tilted back until he was facing the sun head on, and he squinted into the bright light. Even if he was a Jounin, and a sensei at that, he was still a teenager, and sometimes he just wanted a break. His two students, Uchiha Obito and Hatake Kakashi, were far from ever being a break. Hell, they never took a _BREAK _in their stupid little fights about nothing! But then again, what can you expect when your students are from two GENIUS clans of Konoha? It didn't help that both boys were exceedingly arrogant at the same time. Well, Obito isn't that arrogant, but if you think about it, he has a tendency to think very highly of himself. In addition, he writes checks that his body can't cash.

Similarly, Kakashi puts himself very highly, although his style is much more obvious and flagrant than Obito's...and unlike his loudmouthed teammate, Kakashi can actually back up what he says, being a killer genius that became a chuunin at 6 years old. However, neither of them are very fond of each other, and only Rin can try and buff up their edges. Groaning, Minato rubbed the back of his neck and let out a breath that he hadn't know he was holding. Suddenly he heard a chuckle behind him.

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"Minato, you seem quite tired," said Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Sandaime Hokage of the village. Known as the "Professor," this man was very respected in all corners of the ninja world. Turning around, Minato saw the great leader smiling kindly at him a few feet back. With his pipe in his mouth, and wrinkles adorning his face, the middle aged ninja let out a few streams of smoke. "You look as if you have a headache...is something the matter?" he asked.

"H-hokage-sama!" Minato stuttered. "n-no, nothing is wrong." running a hand sheepishly through his hair, he gave a unsure smile to Sarutobi.

Silently, Sarutobi contemplated the look on Minato's face.

"It's like he's ashamed of what he was thinking," he noted, his keen ninja senses coming into effect. "but no matter, I have more important things to discuss with him right now." he concluded, and walked over next to Minato. Close up, he saw how tall the boy had gotten. It seemed just like yesterday when Minato had first opted to become a ninja—that was when they had first met. Minato had been an orphan, not having anyone to care for him all his life. Truthfully, Sarutobi pitied him; in this peaceful village, there were still some sad lives occupying its homes. However, instead of brooding, or moping, at least, this boy turned out to be like the sun, always smiling brightly and striving to be the best in all that he did.

He bested his peers in the ninja arts, became Chuunin at age 12, and became Jounin barely a year after. Even when he had come to situations where he had to kill, the boy never lost his shine, and was always honest, devoted, and kind. He was also modest, always putting down his skills like they still had a long way to go. Well actually, he _did_ have a long way to go, as it turned out his skills were still far from crashing into that wall of limit.

Slowly approaching the blonde boy, Sarutobi gave him a deep, thoughtful look. "Minato," he finally stated,

"Hai, Hokage-sama?" Minato answered, wondering what Sarutobi wanted to say.

"Do you ever miss your parents?" Sarutobi asked, eying Minato's reaction.

Minato paused. The aged leader's question was quite unexpected. Did he miss his parents? He didn't know. They had passed away when he was only two, which was hardly enough time for anyone to get to know their family. Hey, he doesn't even really recall their faces. But as he speculated, he knew, that deep within his heart, there was a hole that could never be covered up by his comrades or friends. He sadly smiled, "In a way, I do." he said. "but..I didn't know them much, so it's not so bad." he stared down at his feet.

Looking at Minato droop his head in silent thought, the Hokage internally sighed. At the same time, he felt affirmation for what he was about to do. Sarutobi's only hesitation was that Minato might not take well to this sudden notice. As such, he approached the blonde Jounin in a calm, reassuring manner.

"Minato, what do you know...about the Uzumaki?" he tentatively asked.

Minato's head popped up. "The Uzumaki? I've never heard of them. Are they a ninja clan?" he asked, tilting his head a few degrees in a puzzled expression. Wondering why the Hokage brought this up, Minato scratched his head in deep pondering. "Why do you ask Hokage-sama?"

Staring calmly into the bottomless eyes of the young man, Sarutobi took a deep breath.

"Minato, I have an order for you. It is for you only and it will be ranked an A rank. It will take over a long period of time and it will be difficult. Will you do it?"

"Hokage-sama, if it's an order from you, of course I will do it. I am obligated as a ninja of this village to serve you and the requests that clients put in," Minato replied, a bit confused to why the respectable leader was asking him such an obvious question.

"No Minato. I want you to look at me in the eye and answer me this. This mission is for you only and it will take a very long time to complete. Perhaps even more than 10 years," the elder stated, carefully looking for any signs of response in the young Jounin's eyes.

'Only I can do it? What does this mean?' Minato thought. The young Jounin warily glanced over at the aging man. Out of all the missions he had done in his life, this was far the strangest. And it was only an A rank; he had done S rank missions before with his sensei, infiltrating enemy villages and acting as spies. "I'm not sure what you mean Hokage-sama," Minato finally said, looking up into Sarutobi's gray eyes. "I can tell that this mission is of great importance, yet you are not telling me the details," Minato looked down again. "I have already told you that whatever mission it is, I will do it," Taking in a deep breath, then letting it out, he turned his well toned, muscular body to fully face the leader. "Please trust me on this Hokage-sama. I believe that whatever mission it is, I am able to do it. And like you said, if it's only something I can do, then, I am all the more for this mission."

Sarutobi saw how Minato spoke with certainty and little hesitation. He inwardly chuckled, the boy was just like Jiraiya in some parts. This recklessness and youthful determination was exactly the same.

'if only Jiraiya would act with more "mature determination," then Tsunade wouldn't have to beat him up so much,' the leader thought humorously. He decided to continue, "Minato, as you've probably already guessed, this mission has to do with the Uzumaki clan."

"Is it an infiltration mission?" narrowing his cold blue eyes, Minato leaned in closer to Sarutobi.

"Sharp as ever, but no, this is not an infiltration mission, nor will you be acting as a spy," puffing on his pipe, the leader grinned at the young Jounin. "your duties will be similar though, you will be learning all that you can from this clan," Sarutobi let out a stream of smoke.

Confused, Minato asked, "If I am to glean whatever I can from this clan, then how is it not an infiltration mission, Hokage-sama?"

Watching the boy's expression, Sarutobi couldn't help but chuckle out loud, quite startling the Jounin.

"Why don't I explain more about the Uzumaki first, eh Minato?" Sarutobi said, eyes gleaming, and sparkling with mischievous anticipation. Minato tilted his head in curiosity. "The Uzumaki are, so to speak, one of the most noble clans that I know." Minato's eyes widened. To speak of a foreign clan with such reverence was unheard of. This clan that has the great Professor's respect, must truly be great.

"They are not a ninja clan, yet, they are a ninja clan," the Professor continued his ambiguous explanation. "You see, the Uzumaki are the great connoisseurs of the arts, of music, dancing, acting, singing, speaking, and lastly, fighting." Minato became more and more enraptured as he listened to Sarutobi's voice. Whoever these "Uzumaki" were, they certainly sounded interesting. "I am sure that all kenjutsu masters of this village has heard their name at least once. They are known for their amazing skill with the sword—note that I said sword, not a katana. You see, the Uzumaki aren't -well, they aren't Japanese, like all ninja are—like you and I both are."

"What?!" But I thought that all inhabitants of the elemental countries were from the same descent—don't we all come from the ancient Japanese that used to inhabit the continents? They gave us our culture and tradition as well as language, style, food--" hearing Minato rant on and on and on, Sarutobi decided to interrupt.

"Yes, but remember Minato, I said that they were ninja, but at the same time, not quite ninja, correct?"

Minato nodded, not quite grasping it all—honestly, people who weren't Japanese? He'd never heard of such a thing! Although the elemental nations were separated by their own greed for power and their geographical/political conflicts, in the end, everyone was one and the same. That was why even in Tea country, you still speak and wear the same kind of clothing you might wear in Fire country.

Not taking notice of the blonde boy's ponderings, Sarutobi continued. "You see, they are not Japanese, rather, they are Korean. For that reason, they have different cultures, different traditions, and a different language, though they all speak perfect Japanese,"Sarutobi paused to see how Minato was taking in all this. The said boy still looked quite shocked, but he looked well enough to keep on listening. "Other than that, they are all very bright, each with a quick thinking, fast-paced mind. Much like you, Minato."

"L-like me?" Minato asked, still quite unable to comprehend it all. Sarutobi smiled for the thousandth time that morning. His eyes danced and the barely forming crows feet under them seemed to twitch in enjoyment.

"Yes, Minato, you are just like the Uzumaki. Witty. Capable. Brilliant. Not to mention your bright soul and kind nature reflects that of the their clan. This is one of the main reasons you are the one suited for this task. Your overall similarity with them." Sarutobi made a mental note to tell Minato later of their physical _differences_ though.

"Then what is the other reason Hokage-sama?" Minato inquired, his curious nature taking over. His blue eyes held that sort of inquiry in them that penetrated a person's heart. Nonetheless, the great Hokage wasn't affected, rather, Sarutobi paused out of confusion to what he would say to the boy. He wanted Minato to know the true reason why he picked him, but at the same time, he didn't want to get personal. Also, if spoken in the wrong words and tone, his reason may end up sounding like an accusation..and that was something he definitely wanted to avoid.

Carefully, he chose his words. "The other reason is.....because you are an orphan Minato," after a long while, Sarutobi said gravely, "you are an orphan, one who didn't ever have a chance to get to know his family, know the love and bonds that come with parents, with siblings, and with relatives."

"I considered you the most suited for this mission because of your.. special position. This mission will allow you to have that experience of being surrounded by family, to be loved by those around you, to actually feel that bond between siblings."

"Minato, your mission is to live with the Uzumaki, and to learn all that they have to offer you, and become part of their family as one of their sons." Sarutobi stated, unsure of Minato's reaction. After all, this was quite abrupt, and he didn't know how this information would affect the young teenager.

"You want me to...to live with the Uzumaki?" Minato asked, even more stunned than before. Did Hokage-sama really want that? To send him away, when he had a team to lead? When he was one of their most prominent Jounin? When he was the apprentice of Sannin Jiraiya himself? To learn.._Music_?

"Yes, Minato, that is correct. Like I've said, this mission will take years, perhaps even more than 10 years. Are you still up for this?" the Hokage asked, sounding hopeful. On the other hand, Minato was still unsure, he didn't know what to do. Attempting to maintain a calm facade, he struggled with his emotions, finally pulling them into rein.

"Hokage-sama, I—"

"Let me say this Minato, if you go, then it will no doubt assist you greatly in your quest to become Hokage," the leader threw in, watching the Jounin's eye's widen slightly. 'hmm, how about this?' he thought, "Also, if you go, I promise that you will not regret it—you will have the time of your life there; and of course, you will be receiving the A rank's pay every month, as it is that this is a prolonged mission," Sarutobi hurriedly concluded.

Looking at the older man, Minato couldn't help but smirk slightly. So the Hokage was worried that he might refuse eh? Well, that was one factor he never did have to worry about, so why start now?

"Hokage-sama, you needn't worry. I have already told you that I will be accepting this mission, and my answer has not changed. I will be taking up your request to live with the Uzumaki." Minato assured the man, and his smirk grew as he saw the Hokage's shoulders visibly relax with his reply.

"Excellent! Minato, you do not know how pleased I am with your answer! Trust me on this that you will most definitely not regret this!" the Hokage literally whooped with joy. "Now then, let's continue with some more background information about the Uzumaki. You see, they are-"

"Umm, please excuse me but, I have a question." Minato said, cutting the man off.

"Yes, what is it? Asked Sarutobi, not minding at all that the boy interrupted him (he was still very happy Minato accepted)

"The Uzumaki..are they fine with sharing their secrets with me? I mean, aren't most clans very secretive about their power and abilities? Do they really want me to be with them?" Minato asked, uncertainty coloring his voice. His claim was indeed logical. Most clans refused to let anyone outside their family to gain knowledge about their abilities and techniques. So who said that the Uzumaki are any different?

Sarutobi grinned, very much unlike his elderly, wise demeanor. Instead, he was now more like a younger boy, relieving the old days of fun and excitement and rose-colored innocence. As if he wasn't the most powerful ninja of all time, but instead a tricky little boy wanting to play.

"Now, that was something I was just about to talk about. You see, Minato, the head of the clan, Uzumaki Naoki, is a dear friend of mine," Sarutobi juggled his eyebrow in happiness. "the two of us have been through much, both going through many ordeals and life-threatening situations. However, that only served to thicken our bonds and strengthen our ties as friends," looking up at the now high sun, he went on, "We first met when I was still leading the legendary Sannin as Genin, which was a very long time ago." Hearing Minato gasp, he laughed out loud lightheartedly. "He had been on a training expedition around the Ninja World, and only stayed for a few months before he left, back to his home. But then few months later, he came back, and the process repeated itself for a few times. We both helped each other grow, and continued to improve ourselves. He was the one who helped me eventually win the title of the 'Professor.' those days were during the prime of my life."

"Wait, if he 'visited' the ninja world, then 'left,' does that mean..?"

"Yes, you are correct in you assumption. The Uzumaki do not live in the same world as we do. They live in a separate world that is neighboring ours. A world that does not have ninjas." Minato's eyes began to bug out. He didn't even know that was possible.

"How—how is that---Possible?!" he spat out in utter indignation. He suddenly began to suspect that the man was playing with him.  
"Minato, listen to me when I say that there are some occurrences in the world that cannot be explained. You simply have to believe," stated the Hokage. "Will you please allow me to continue?" he asked.

Nodding, Minato shut his mouth and tried to clear his head. The original migraine that he had was not helping. All this information that he received this morning was bombarding his head like a nuclear explosion. Unknown to Sarutobi, he kept on talking.

"The Uzumaki holds a very special contract. It is very much like a summons contract, only this one only allows Uzumakis to sign it. The only exception is when an outsider is given a special dagger that can penetrate the realm between the two worlds through a separate contract that has an Uzumaki and the wielder's blood mixed together. This allows only that person to be able to use it to open the gate to the next world, and that person only. This way, it prevents mishaps to occur concerning evil men crossing over to the other side and creating havoc. I have been given such a dagger due to my friendship with Naoki, and believe me Minato, I will never do such a thing as open the gate and lead the shinobi to the other side on road for conquest. Although Danzo and the other council member might think differently, the size of the country the Uzumaki live in is greater than all the 5 great nations put together." Once again, Minato's eyes bugged out.

"doing so would not only betray the trust Naoki has for me, but also be very foolish and leading all shinobi to an early death."

"What is that country called?" Minato asked, brimming with questions and queries about this strange, exotic land. Sarutobi's eyes sparkled.

"It is called America, or more accurately, the United States of America." the Hokage announced grandly, "The Uzumaki live in the western side of that country, in a state called California. You will learn more about them once you get there. I have visited their home several times, and I am on good terms with Naoki's children. They are surely one of the most unique, and kind people you'll ever come across Minato. The bond you will form with them will last an eternity." Sarutobi was almost gleeful. "I have not, however, been to their house very recently. This arrangement between me and Naoki was made when he came to my office to say hello a few days ago. I'm sure all of his children are all grown up now. They will be in your age group, so do not worry about being the youngest of the family."

Sarutobi was actually extremely happy with this outcome. He knew, that with the Uzumaki's contagious laughter and warmth, Minato would be able to have that family he never had...and just the thought of the boy laughing with the crowd, being hugged, being cherished, warmed his heart to the fullest. He'd always thought of Minato as one of his sons anyway, although his perverted student hated it when he ever brought something like that up—Jiraiya was surprisingly jealous when it came to his prize student.

After all, Jiraiya thought of Minato as HIS son, not Sarutobi or any others. Sarutobi wondered how his student would react when told of Minato's mission..and how long it will take. He sighed mentally. He knew Jiraiya wouldn't take this easily. But nevertheless, it had to be done. Not only will this be a valuable chance to improve upon Minato's skills, but also a chance to have some of the Uzumaki's skill applied to the entire village in general.

Minato, on the other hand, was thinking deep about his soon approaching future. In a strange peculiar way, his heart tingled whenever he thought of having a real family. One that he would live with. One he would share secrets with. One that he would eat together, laugh together, have fun, arrange parties, play tricks....his mind drifted off to his sensei. Jiraiya, what would he think? No doubt, Jiraiya was closest he ever had to a father. Of course, this mission wouldn't replace his sensei, ever. No matter what sort of relationship he ended up with, nothing would ever replace him.

The talk he had today with the Hokage gave him a general gist of the Uzumaki, but he'd have to see it for himself when he actually meets them....come to think of it, how is he going to explain all this to Jiraiya and his students? And the time...."OH SHOOT!" Minato screamed, looking at his watch. Sarutobi jumped, his ninja senses kicking in.

"What's wrong?! What's going on!?" reflexively, he pulled out a kunai, searching for the source of the danger.

"Oh, --its nothing. Eh, sorry Hokage-sama, I sorta, uh, just remembered that I'm supposed to meet with

my team in about 5 minutes, and I haven't got a clue to how I'm going to explain all this to them. And to sensei too! How am I going to explain this to him?" clearly agitated, Minato wrung his hands.

"Don't worry about Jiraiya—I'll talk to him." Sarutobi said the last part grudgingly. To be honest, he too had no idea whatsoever how to explain this to his hyperactive, if not slightly insane student. Hopefully, things would go well. "oh yes, I forgot to mention this, but, Minato, you will be leaving in 2 days. Notify your team of this fact and be sure to pack everything you have. You will be gone for a long time, and I know you wouldn't want to leave any of your precious things behind."

"Hai, Hokage-sama," Minato replied. "I promise to work to the best of my ability, and return with much more to me than now."

"Exactly what I expect of you my boy. But then of course, you won't be gone forever, I will arrange it so that you can visit once in a while, and I will talk to Naoki about sending your team there sometimes. Oh, and Jiraiya too. He will most likely be very put out with me if I do not send him."

Laughing, Minato agreed. His former tension about the mission was nearly gone. He still had a bunch a nervousness and anxiety in him though. He wondered how the Uzumaki would treat him, or how he should treat them.

As of now, he would focus on trying to come up with an explanation for his psychotic team...speak of the devil, they will be here in 5......

4......

3......

2......

1......

SENSEI!!!!

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**Hello all, this is Hulkishpower. This is my first time trying to write a fanfic, and I hope it's at least satisfactory. Please feel free to critique and advise/ review.**

**I know that there are a lot of gaps in this first chapter that could've been more rounded out. Also, if you see any grammatical mistakes, please correct me. Thank you and stay tuned till the next chapter!**

**-Hulkishpower**


	2. Woah Obito, Woah Jiraiya, Woah Kushina!

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto

**Hello readers! Thank you very much for reviewing! I was extremely pleased with all the commenting you all have done. And as for shnizlefritz, thank you for your comment. It made me think a lot about my fanfic, but I've decided not to change the plot after all. Please continue reading and reviewing! **

**Thank you very much!**

**Updated: 12/26/09  
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Namikaze Minato, Jounin of the Village hidden in the leaves, was currently not in the best of situations.

Being surrounded by his three students, Kakashi, Obito, and Rin, Minato was experiencing a familiar sense of dread, as all three of them sprouted a head as big as the trees and loomed over his figure like a executioner waiting for the criminal's last words. And fittingly, Minato found himself unable to respond as his students turned out to be more fearsome than he first thought they were. Even docile Rin glared at him with her humongous, magnified eyes. Poor Minato found himself being pressed to the tree trunk, feeling ever more the helpless animal trapped amongst hunters. He gulped, his blue eyes mirroring the terror within him.

"W_hat did you just say right now sensei? Could you care to repeat?"_ Obito, Kakashi, and Rin said, in a tone that dripped danger.

"Umm guys, I personally don't think this is necessary....//"Minato stumbled, the rough bark of the trees pressing into his back. It was a good thing he had worn his Jounin flak jacket; otherwise his back would really have felt the brunt of that push, not to mention Obito was now currently tying him to the tree with special Anbu-use wire. "Can you guys please let me go? And Obito, _just where did you get that wire?!_"

"That's not important right now sensei!" Obito cried, his fists curled up into tight balls around his waist.

"The point is that you're leaving, and for a HELL LONG TIME without any good reason..." he trailed off, as Kakashi decided to cut in right at that moment.

"He does have a good reason. He has a mission. However, the problem is that he is leaving _us behind."_

"Sensei...just what is going on? What is this mission that the Hokage is sending you on? Please tell us!" Rin cried, her voice somehow sounding soft and encouraging while she looked murderous. Minato supposed it was the medic side of her kicking in. Even though his students were only 9, they were all quite intimidating, and Minato found himself gulping again before opening his mouth to answer. 'Damn, they really shouldn't allow students to graduate the academy early.. no matter how talented they are,' he thought. Then he began talking.

"Well, I was just about to explain the details, until SOMEONE decided to tie me up to this tree, and until _someone_ freaked out about this whole 'prolonged mission thing'". Minato cleared this throat, feeling especially self-conscious as the piercing gaze of his students' eyes followed him up and down, as if searching for some kind of trick. He sighed, once again feeling the stress of being a mentor to not just one, but three bright kids who somehow became Genin before they were supposed to. It drove him crazy, but he was a tough guy, and he could deal. He quickly undid the binds—even if they were talented, he was the Jounin here, and undoing a mere Genin's ties were like snapping a twig in half.

The wire whipping and hissing as it coiled around his hand, he sat down on the grass once again, tucking in the anbu-wire away in his holster. Silently, he motioned for the rest of his team to follow suit. "Now, where to begin..."Minato ran a hand through his hair.

"How about the part about the mission?" Kakashi suggested, ever the meticulous one.

"Alright, listen up." Minato held his head high and looked at all of his students with a hard eye.

"I have been assigned a solo mission from the Hokage. It is an A rank,and like you've heard before, it will take a long period of time." seeing how his students were about to jump up again he said, "BUT! I will be returning every once in a while, so you don't have to worry. Also, Hokage-sama said something about you guys coming to see me sometimes, so that we can meet and train together," at this, the three students both visibly relaxed. Minato grinned, it was so cute sometimes, the way they would argue with him. He then realized this might be one of the last times he would see them like this, at least for a long time. As his students bickered with one another, Obito arguing with Kakashi most of the time, he leaned into the tree behind him and closed his eyes.

".....like I SAID, SHINOBI AREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE STUCK UP LIKE YOU!!" Obito's loud shout roused Minato from his little rest. Obito jumped up and faced Kakashi, his eyes blazing with hatred for his comrade, his round face contorting with anger. Kakashi merely looked calm. He almost looked bored, only no one could really tell, with that mask on his face, but his eyes indicated a sign of annoyance if not irritation. Clearly, the young Chuunin cared less whether his teammate became fired up or not.

"Oh, and if not, are they supposed to be dumb like you are?" he calmly retorted, casually putting his arms behind his head as he lowered himself to the ground with practiced ease. Once settled in, he flicked his eyes up menacingly to look at the still furious Obito. "Still fuming? Dumb one," he yawned.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY???!" Obito began rolling up his sleeves, he was about to pounce on Kakashi when Minato finally decided to intervene.

"Put a rest to it both of you. I'm leaving in two days, do you really want to make this one of my last memories of you two?" he fixed his clear blue eyes on the two children, both of them looking away in embarrassment and guilt. Even Kakashi looked ashamed; he sat up, his gray eyes suddenly finding his toes very interesting. Smiling at his students' understanding and shining innocence, he stood up and brushed his clothes off. "Come on guys, why don't I treat you all to lunch then we can go train a bit. My treat," Instantly all three of them brightened.

"YES!" they hollered, and soon they were dragging him down to the bustling streets of Konoha.

"Woah, whoa, slow DOWN!" Minato called out. He laughed helplessly when Kakashi and Obito began arguing AGAIN about what restaurant they would go to. Rin was no help at all, as she threw in her own two cents on her opinion of where to go. After a minute, Minato yelled, "Enough! We will go to Ichiraku, and that is that. No more arguing, all of you!" At this, his team finally quieted down and began talking in a fluid manner. The rest of the afternoon was spent in an animated chat, and Minato was beginning to miss him team already. He wanted more time with them, but he knew that his mission was of great importance. After training, he sent them home early and walked down the streets to his own house, taking out a duffel and dutifully beginning to pack.

* * *

It was only 1 in the afternoon, yet Minato's house was cluttered with all sorts of stuff. Jutsu scrolls, socks, pieces of kunai, clothes, blankets, and even picture albums were spread out across the light wooden floor of his apartment. This was the state the blonde jounin's house was in as Jiraiya entered his student's home; he was shocked beyond belief. Minato's house was NEVER messy. His student was a helpless clean freak, and this..this mess just proved THAT STUPID MISSION HAS AFFECTED Minato TO THE POINT HE WASN'T HIMSELF!

He was sure of it, and to do his duty as a teacher and "sort of" father, he burst in to Minato's room.

"MIIIINato~! Just what is going on?! What is this crazy mission that I've heard from Sarutobi sensei that you're going away—" he trailed off as he spotted the duffel on Minato's bed. "No," Jiraiya huffed, disbelief evident on his red streaked face, "you're—you're really going? Away? To some kind of alter dimension to who knows what psycho clan? To venture into the unknown?" all of a sudden, Jiraiya screamed, "NOOO!!! I WON'T LET THIS HAPPEN! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE TRAINING RIGHT HERE IN KONOHA RIGHT NEXT TO ME AND I REFUSE TO LET YOU GO! YOU COME WITH ME YOUNG MAN AND WE'LL GET MY SENILE SENSEI'S HEAD SCREWED ON STRAIGHT. FOLLOW M----"

"WAIT! Calm down sensei. It's all right. I've already agreed to this," Minato waved his hands wildly, attempting to placate his enraged teacher. "And you don't have to worry, it's not exactly 'venturing into the unknown,' Hokage-sama has been there many times. And he assures me that the Uzumaki are not psycho, so don't worry about that either, okay?" Minato put a consoling look on his face. Jiraiya rolled his eyes in utter frustration.

"Don't you get it? What matters is not that you're going to be safe or whatever, since safety is never guaranteed in ANY mission, but your feelings. How do YOU feel about all this Minato? And if you do go, what about your dream? How are you going to achieve the strength that you always have dreamed of? What about becoming a kage? Answer me!" Minato sighed.

"I can very easily picture that you ran out of the Hokage's office before hearing the entire story Jiraiya sensei," Minato chuckled, rubbing his neck tiredly. Grinning up at his still angry teacher, he sat down on his bed and cleared away a spot for him. Putting his stuff away in the duffel, he patted the now empty space on the comforter. "sit down—I'll explain." Looking at Minato suspiciously, Jiraiya sat straight down, his back ramrod stiff, his arms permanently crossed, his black eyes piercing.

"Well, first of all, I am not going there to slack off. I'm going there to train," Minato spoke, watching Jiraiya jolt like a cartoon.

"Huh? How can you train when you are on an A rank mission?" he asked.

"I'm getting to that. Anyway, one of the reasons why I agreed to this is because Hokage-sama promised that I'll become strong if I go there, and that the Uzumaki are willing to teach me all their techniques and fighting styles," Jiraiya dropped out of the bed.

"WHAT?? THEY'RE REALLY WILLING TO DO THAT? THEY REALLY WANT TO SHARE THEIR SECRETS WITH AN OUTSIDER??!" Jiraiya practically yelled in amazement and disbelief.

Such a thing was unheard of...take the Hyuuga Clan for instance, they even go to lengths to place that disgusting excuse of a seal on their own family members, all for the sake of "security." But a clan that was willing to share their family techniques? 'All the more reason to not let him go, they're too suspcious,' thought Jiraiya, but his mental ramblings were interrupted when Minato opened his mouth again.

"Sensei, have you heard what Hokage-sama said about the Uzumaki? He said that they were extremely talented in kenjutsu, I hope they teach it to me," Minato's excited tone snapped Jiraiya out of his trance. The boy..sounded as if he was actually eager to leave his home. Could he--? No he couldn't... ..

"MINATOOOOOO!!! ARE YOU SAYING THAT YOU'RE HAPPY, THAT YOU WANT TO LEAVE ME—ME...leave me behind? Is--that what you're implying?" stunned, Jiraiya stared at his prize student, hurt clearly etched on his streaked face. Somehow, his white hair made him seem much older and tired than he actually looked. Devastated, Jiraiya buried his face in his hands.

"What?! NO! How could you even think that? Of course I would never feel that way!" Minato sputtered, he too getting out of his bed. "The truth is that I—well, I really do want to learn all that they have to offer, and to become the strongest, but...at the same time, it pains me that I'll be leaving you all.

Go talk to Hokage-sama again, he'll tell you when you can visit me, or when I can visit you. Don't worry Jiraiya-sensei, I'll be fine, and I'll come back stronger than before! It's a promise!" Smiling brightly, Minato walked right up to his sensei and gave him one of his dazzling foxy grins. Disgruntled, but clearly unable to resist the assault of those blue eyes, Jiraiya, looked down hastily and clapped his large hand over Minato's shoulder.

"AheM... whatever you do, just remember you good ol' sensei. Got it?"

"Yup! You can count on me. Now get out and let me pack, or help me pack, or do something productive—I don't care," brushing it off, Minato once again bent down to pick up his clothes. Jiraiya took one last look at his student, then sped of to interrogate his teacher. Sarutobi was still gonna pay for this.

After Jiraiya left, Minato packed his things for a little longer, then couldn't take it anymore. So instead of sitting and packing, he created a handful of Kage Bunshin, instructed them to pack for him, then left the house in civilian clothing. As it would be a long time since he would come back, he decided to look around the village for a while. And going to the hot springs sounded nice. Oh and he'd have to go to Ichiraku's again for dinner....indulge while he can...checking out the watch on his wrist, he noted that it was only around 1:30, and the sun was still high up in the sky. There was no more breeze at this time of the day, but the scent of the fresh leaves was still thick. The warm, dry air engulfed his body, and he looked around the bustle of the streets, carving those images to his heart. Glancing up at the Hokage monument, he grinned manically. Then he lifted his hand over the engravings. 'One day,' he thought, 'I'll be up there! Just wait for me! I'll turn this mission into a chance to become stronger...the chance to become Hokage!'

* * *

Nearly sprinting through the trees, the slim, slender girl skipped lightly on her feet in the direction towards the village of the hidden leaf. It was her first time there, and she was so excited! She had heard many stories about the great ninja village, and she couldn't wait till she got there. The light filtered through the leaves on the trees; glossy, black, silky hair flowing down straight to her waistline bounced up and down with every step she took. Her hair wasn't thick at all, instead, it was very fine, and very smooth. Creamy, light colored skin covering her shapely frame, her large, gray eyes shone with innocence and curiosity. Anyone who saw her would have instantly noticed that she was not an ordinary civilian, for her movements were too light and feathery to be considered normal. Especially the way one skip took her gently two and a half feet in the air then gently brought her back down, staying up in the air far too long, and far too gracefully without making a sound. She donned strange, somewhat kimono like (not really) clothes which seemed to be made out of a fine, beautiful material. She wore a white, long sleeved kimono that fell to her toes, where near the end it had some delicately interwoven flower designs, and the way the clothe was wrapped around her bared her legs, allowing maximum movement and freedom. Then on top, she wore a smaller, dark blue kimono made out of a much thicker and tough material with a light brown/gold cloth circling her waist. A short piece of sash held everything together, and lastly, she had a large, open sword holder designed to hold many swords at once. However, at the moment, she only had, a long, elegant sword with a plain black hilt and small, silvery guard. The holder hung from her waist, not from front to back like normal, but from side to side, diagonally. She had no shoes on, but instead had gold anklets each with a bell on one of her feet. Hopping, she hummed a merry tune as she continued her journey to the ninja village.

Up ahead, she saw the tips of the huge, double doors of the main gate. Upon seeing this, the girl let out a joyful cry, and with amazing speed, closed the distance between herself and the gates in one sprightly bound. Ignoring the protests of the Chuunin guards, she leapt right over the the threshold and sped into the village. "Yahoo~!" she called out, a happy smile splitting her face in two.

"Hey wait! You can't just go in there!! Hey! Come back!" the two Chuunin yelled at the top of their lungs, but to no avail, as the girl was already out of sight. Staring at open space with no one there, both said at the same time : "Damn,"

"We have to let the Hokage know!" said his partner.

"Right!" and together they hurriedly filed an intruder report and sent it off to the tower via messenger bird. They were in a desperate hurry. They had to find and capture this intruder fast, or she might just wreck havoc on their village.

Meanwhile, the said intruder was having a very fun time examining the ginormous monuments of the Hokages, completely oblivious to the problems she was stirring up. "Wow!! so that's the famed Hokage Mountain. No wonder Saru-jiji spoke so reverently about it. I wonder what else there is to see here in Konoha~~ I'm so excited! I hope my new family member will be happy to see me~!"

And this way, Uzumaki Kushina was inside the village.

* * *

"Hokage-sama!" a female Chuunin with mousy brown hair and panicked eyes burst into the office.

"It's an emergency! There is an intruder at the main gate, sector A-1 of the village! We suspect that she has snuck into point A-3, or A-4, possibly gathering info or assaulting the villagers. The fact that she charged right through the gate, rather than stealthily infiltrate, leads me to believe that this is a full out attack on the village!"

"What's our status?" Sarutobi urgently asked.

"Currently, our shinobi are giving chase. They should have located her by now."

"I see. Do the Chuunin at the gate have any information on the enemy's physique? What she looks like, the main feature, most noticeable factor?" Sarutobi carefully questioned the woman. Whoever this ninja was, no one was going to harm his village.

"Hai, it seems that the two guards at the gate know for a fact that the enemy is in fact, a female. They have clarified that she was strangely dressed, with her legs bare, and had a sword on her back. She also had long black hair. That is it for the descriptions as she was moving too fast for any of the guards to catch her face or height or even age," Sarutobi digested all this with practiced ease. He was an experienced shinobi, one who has seen war many times. In this era of fighting and kill for hire, an attack on the village was not entirely unexpected. Himself, Homura, and Koharu, the advisors, have discussed this matter many times.

"How many casualties so far?" he took a deep breath on his pipe.

"None sir, at least, not that we know of. It may be that they haven't even reached the infiltrator yet,"

Sarutobi let out a thick stream of smoke. "I see." another breath.

"We will wait until there are more updates on the situation. Until then, I will not make any more moves. See to it that the ninja we have over there rate the enemy of their strength, then notify me if more men are necessary,"

"Hai!" the woman ran out of the room, the door slamming shut behind her. Sarutobi sighed. First Jiraiya, now this? He really was getting old.

* * *

"Eh? W-what is this?" stumbled Kushina, surrounded by 5 older ninja from all directions. She was trapped, but she didn't know why. Circling around the girl, the older shinobi were shocked at her young age, but did not show any traces of it on their calm facade. One of them secretly sent a message to the Hokage based on the girls physical traits.

"Umm, excuse me, but may I ask why all of you are surrounding me?" she politely asked her audience, visibly shaken by the sudden ensnarement. The leaf ninja shared looks between themselves.

"We ask that you come with us to the interrogation department. You have trespassed upon our village and certain measures must be taken, as well as figuring out why you're here," a Chuunin answered.

"Trespass? What are you talking about?" Kushina asked, not knowing that to get inside a hidden village, one must show their passport and get approval from the tower to allow them inside. Being from

America, she had no idea what went on in the ninja world, which was, the truth on her part, but to the ninja, it merely looked like some form of trickery.

"We are not kidding. Please submit yourself and hand over your weapon," another Chuunin stated, holding out his hand.

"Huh? My sword? No! This is very precious to me! I don't know what you people want but my sword stays with me!" Kushina shook her fist at the shinobi. Unfortunately, to the overly tense ninja, this was seen as a physical threat, and each took a step back and pulled out a kunai. Kushina eyed the ninja warily. Whatever reason they had for ganging up on her, was serious enough to fight and injure her. 'Ugh, Saru-jij never said that it was so hostile in here! Is this how all ninja are? Is this...how my new family is going to be like?' thoughts running through her head, Kushina put her hands in front of her.

"Woah, people! No need to get physical here~! Let's just sort through our little problem calmly, calmly and rationally. Okay? No need for those pointy weapons," she pointed to the kunai. However, her choice of words alarmed the ninja.

'Did she come here on a diplomatic ground? No, then she has no reason to trespass like that. She's dangerous,' they all thought. Quietly, the grip on their kunai handle hardened, and finally, another shinobi yelled out, "If you do not surrender in 5 seconds, we will attack," silently gesturing over to his teammates, they all nodded and readied themselves for battle.

Meanwhile, Kushina was in shock. 'they're going to attack me?' she thought, her mind spinning wildly.

'but, why? I haven't done anything wrong...or have I?'

"....1....0!" the countdown finished and Kushina found all 5 ninja speeding towards her with their kunai in place. 'oh shoot!' she mentally yelled. Just before the kunai was about to connect, she twisted her body and fluidly twirled away from danger. Stunned, the ninja attempted a similar melee attack, but once again, she gracefully moved out of the way like she was simply dancing. Confused, the ninja took out their shuriken, and circling the Uzumaki, launched all of their projectiles at her. The said girl jumped up, and twirled sideways a few times in mid air in mad speed, her white robes whipping about her, effectively dodging all 40 shuriken. Landing lightly on the ground, she tilted her head and scratched her cheek. All the ninja were in shock.

* * *

Minato was walking down the street when he heard all the commotion. Vying to the left, into a more secluded area of the market, the Jounin found himself staring at a group of fellow ninja circling a girl about his age. His face shifting into one of seriousness and analytical coldness, he began moving in closer to the group. At the same time....

"Hokage-sama! We have more information on the girl!" the brown haired Chuunin announced, barging into his office.

"Report!" Sarutobi barked out, not at all like his normal, fatherly figure.

"Yes sir! The shinobi who apprehended the intruder has notified that the girl is extremely talented, effortlessly dodging all of their attacks as well as shuriken thrown from all sides. They have also said that she moves with precision and grace. All of them who are there have related it to being similar to a...a dance." she finished lamely.

"A dance?" Sarutobi asked, his eyebrows shooting off to the middle of his forehead. A dance....there was only one person he had seen who had been able to dodge shuriken thrown from all sides by moves equal to a dance. That person was Naoki.......no, he couldn't be here. Also, the reports say that it was a girl, with black hair nonetheless..Uzumaki's don't have black hair. They have fiery red hair that.....

"Oh shit," Sarutobi jerked up and ran out the door with unrivaled speed, brushing by the Chuunin; he knew who that girl was and his men were attacking the wrong person. And if his memory serves him right, neither party were the type to go easy on each other. He really didn't want any casualties, not when he still has to file paperwork for Minato's mission!

* * *

Minato slipped next to the nearest ninja, a colleague 5 years his senior, a respectable Jounin with hanging, lank black hair that came to his chin. Sporting a red/white fan on his flak jacket, the said ninja was holding his arms close to his chest in a fighting position. His coal eyes were slitted with concentration—Uchiha Fugaku's eyes quickly flicked over to Minato, then regained their focus on the girl wearing the strange clothes. "what's going on," Minato said in a low voice that was only barely registered by Fugaku.

"we have an intruder. Hokage-sama has told us to capture and bring her in for interrogation. However, this has proven to me much more difficult than I first thought," Fugaku intensified his gaze. Minato carefully slid into his ready position, his hand hovering just above his kunai holster.

"Need some help?" he whispered, hooking one of his fingers onto the ring of his kunai.

"Yes, but a kunai won't help. She dodged all our shuriken that's on the floor. We need jutsu," Fugaku replied urgently, motioning to the 40-50 shuriken littering the dusty ground. His hands discreetly formed a snake, the first seal to the sequence for Katon: Goukyaku no Jutsu, or the Grand Fireball technique. Managing to get through the two other seals required for the tech, he finished with a tiger, his index finger and middle finger of both hands sticking up from the rest. The Uchiha was just about to pump chakra to his chest and blow out a massive fireball when a loud voice came from behind.

"STOP!" Sarutobi, the third Hokage, roared just in time. He had been running at full speed towards the group when he happened to spot a tiny, pulsing chakra signiture coming from Uchiha Fugaku. Using his superior intelligence, he immediately realized that the pulse, while it may seem normal for fighting ninja, when it was in use with the fire/tiger seal, it meant only one thing. As such, he had yelled out as loud as he could in order to stop the battle from commencing any further. Nearing his men, he saw that his outburst had done the trick; the leaf ninja were all shocked at the sight of their leader charging at them, but they were all sane enough to not launch any more attacks on the intruder. As for Sarutobi, as he got closer and closer, he was able to get a good look at the girl's face. He sighed a deep breath of relief to know that his assumption had been correct. The girl was indeed Kushina.

Screeching to a stop right next to Fugaku, Sarutobi noticed that Minato also happened to be there. Looking just as shocked as the rest of his mates, Minato gaped at his leader. "Hokage-sama? Why..?"

Throwing a glance to all the other leaf shinobi, Sarutobi cleared his throat.

"Everyone stand down. This person is not an enemy, nor is she a spy," he firmly stated.

"But Hokage-sama, she is an unidentified individual who entered the village without permission. She should be taken in for questioning—or at least inquired for any dangerous potential she might have!" stated a Chuunin that happened to be with the group, the one who spoke out earlier.

"I agree Hokage-sama," Fugaku pointed out. "How do you know that she isn't a spy? Even if you are personally acquainted with this young girl, how are we to know whether we can trust her or not?"

At this, the middle aged leader of the village squared his shoulders. He met eyes with everyone there, giving them a deep, penetrating look. "I'll personally vouch for her. The fact that she failed to hand in her identification is mainly because of her ignorance and my foolishness. As this incident has caused all of you trouble, I sincerely apologize," Sarutobi bowed his head in atonement. Again, stunned that their leader was bowing his head, they all hurriedly assured him it was no trouble at all, and to please raise his head. All of them were feeling tremendously awkward. It just didn't feel right. After this, everyone dissipated into the regular crowd of Konoha's lively streets. Minato however, just stood there. Pressing a hand to his face, Sarutobi internally groaned, this was way too much trouble. The heroine for this little dramatic episode indubitably has it coming to her. He was just about to open his mouth and reproach when a sound of pattering feet halted him.

"Saru-jiji!" Kushina ran into the professor and threw her arms around his neck. Jumping into his arms, Kushina was more than glad to see her old friend. Witnessing her happiness and her illuminating character, Sarutobi physically felt his anger and stress melting away. Chuckling in response, he said,

"Ah, Kushina-hime, it's been such a long time. How I missed you," he hugged the girl back, catching how big she was now compared to three years ago, which was the last time they had seen each other. Kushina just snuggled in to his chest, breathing the familiar tobacco scent that he always had. He had never smoked in front of her, but she knew that he did it often. She actually like the smell, the smell was very comforting. A sparse second passed, and they separated.

"I missed you soo much Saru-jiji. How come you didn't visit these last three years?"

"My child, I simply had too much work to do. I am sorry I did not come to your house lately. Anyhow, _why are you here, may I ask_?" Kushina flinched.

"Umm, sorry, but I was just so delighted to hear that we were going to have a new family member coming from the leaf village, and Otou-sama said that I could be the one to go pick him up...and I was excited...and he did say it was the leaf village, so I thought I might be able to see you too!" she jovially concluded. Sarutobi's eyebrows furrowed into a questioning look.

"Kushina, you were supposed to meet Minato at the rendezvous point located 5 miles from here TWO days from now. You weren't supposed to come to the village nor were you supposed to be here so quickly! Also, may I inquire just why you have your chakra sealed? Because that particular seal changes your hair and eye color, I failed to recognize you when they first gave me your description. Care to explain again?" the Hokage crossed his arms.

"Minato... so THAT'S his name....haha, sorry again Saru-jiji, but I guess I was just overridden by eagerness to see the ninja world. As you know—Otou-sama and Okaa-sama don't really let me come here. And about the chakra, I thought that if I looked like a civilian, then they would let me right in..So, so I was just..." she trailed off, staring at the floor. Sarutobi uncrossed his arms and placed a caring hand on her arm.

"It's all right. Don't fret. Just no more of these affairs, okay?" Kushina nodded, her hair bouncing up and down. "Oh by the way, since you're already here, why don't you go ahead and meet Minato, Kushina?" the said girl's head popped up.

"Where can I find him?!?" she piped, overly enthusiastic. Sarutobi smiled, this particular one pretty much splitting his dotted face in half,

"Well, for starters, I think I'll look right behind you," he slyly mentioned.

Kushina pivoted on the spot, nearly colliding with a blonde, well-toned boy a bit taller than herself. Peeking up, their eyes connected, blue to black. In a corner of her mind, she noted that he was quite handsome. Minato, was going into a panic attack in his mind. He had overheard the conversation between the ...very pretty girl and the Hokage. _She _ was an Uzumaki? He was gonna live with her? And..._she's also not blushing like all the other girls I've met. _ On the other hand, Kushina was scrutinizing Minato from top to bottom. After a painful silence between the two, Kushina turned around to face Sarutobi again.

"There's a problem," she somberly stated. Sarutobi and Minato's eyes widened. For Sarutobi, it was surprise, and for Minato, it was shock. He had a _problem??_

"And what might that be?" Sarutobi asked, his eyebrows furrowing once more. Kushina, with all the solemness of a catholic bishop, looked at him seriously in the eye and said,

"He's blonde."

* * *

**If I misspelled the Fireball technique in Japanese, please excuse me. I am very limited in my fluency..although I am studying. Also, those little plays with the punctuation are not accidental, they're entirely purposeful and please understand I put them there for a reason. Oh, and I will explain more about Kushina's seal in the next chapter. Like I've already explained, it changes her appearance when utilized. But I will go more into detail later. Stay tuned! Oh and thank you for putting on story alert! It may be insignificant but I'm really thankful. I hope I can get a pic of Kushina on my profile. I have no idea how to do it though. I do not own the pic and it's just an image of what I picture Kushina to be while she has her chakra sealed and her clothes on that she is currently wearing. Once again, thank you. Every little review means a lot to me. If it's not too much trouble, please to R/R. THANK YOU!!!  
**

**-Hulkishpower**


	3. Troubles and Troublemakers

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

Updated: 12/27/09

**bold: speaking in English**

_**bold italic: Speaking in Korean.**_

Normal: Japanese

Cassie/Cassandra: Kushina's English Name

Matthew: Temjin's English Name

Andrew: Shinzou's English Name

Scott: Naoki's English Name

* * *

"He's blonde," said Kushina in a dead serious manner. A gale blew by. A second ticked, another second, then another, passing away in silence. The dust around their feet got caught in the wind and circled restlessly about their legs. Minato's jaw was set firmly on the ground. Another second passed.

Finally, Sarutobi cleared his throat.

"Minato, best to close your mouth before any of this dirt get in there," he lighted his pipe, and inhaled deeply. "and Kushina, please tell me what is the problem with Minato being blonde,"

'Oh she better not mean that I'm dumb..I am NOT DUMB!' Minato thought furiously. Kushina seemed undeterred by the anger spouting from the blonde, for she answered instantly.

"Well, it's just that....we have different hair color..and differently colored eyes..there's a problem with him fitting into our family..appearance-wise anyway," she admitted, looking thoughtful. Sarutobi stepped forward.

"But that can me remedied easily can it not? I believe your family has the necessary traits to accept Minato no matter what he looks like—" Kushina cut him off.

"I know, but I'm just disappointed. When other people look at us as a group, he'll be the one sticking out....Oh well, we can just say it's a genetic defect," she finished brightly, smiling widely at Sarutobi and Minato. The two men sweatdropped. Luckily for Minato, Sarutobi recovered first and then asked her,

"Speaking of appearances, why haven't you still dropped your seal Kushina? I don't think Minato will want you to keep up that look and be surprised to no end when he goes to your home later. Why not show him now?"

"Sure, why not?" Kushina said brightly, lifting her left arm. Then, she slid back her sleeve, revealing a simple, circular seal integrated into a 4 point rhombus just below her wrist on the underside of her arm.

Then, forming a release seal with her other hand, she muttered, "Kai," and the seal glowed a dull black, then vanished completely. A rather forceful, but controlled wind lashed out from her frame, and Kushina closed her eyes. What happened next made Minato widen his eyes considerably: Kushina's beautiful, long black hair gradually changed it's color into a fiery red, looking just as silky and glossy as before. It rose into the air a bit, then settled back down onto her slender frame. Other than that, she looked the same. However, there was one more surprise waiting for Minato: after her transformation was complete, she slowly opened her eyes, and instead of the coal black eyes she had earlier, she now had silvery, smoky gray eyes that matched the color of her clothes. The changes held Minato spellbound; if he had thought she was pretty before, that was a severe understatement: she was..dazzling. He thought the red hair complemented her skin even more. On top of that, he was extremely relieved to know that she wasn't like other girls he knew and that she didn't think he was dumb. He found himself letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding. Sarutobi broke his train of thought.

"Why don't the two of you get acquainted with one another while I go finish up my business, hmm?" Sarutobi suggested, his age subtly hinting at him that there were some special...emotions going between the two teenagers. Kushina jumped up.

"Okay! See you later jiji!" she called out, waving, while Sarutobi chuckled and walked away. He was gonna have a bet with Jiraiya that Minato was finally going to fall for a girl. Inwardly bellowing with laughter, he headed back to his tower, secretly dreading the amount of work waiting for him.

As Sarutobi left, only Minato and Kushina was standing in the corner of the marketplace. Watching Kushina wave enthusiastically to the Hokage, he felt..very shy. This was the usual emotion he usually felt around girls.. but for some reason, this time, he felt different. He just couldn't look at her straight in the eye. Not in those smoky, brilliant eyes of hers....

"Hey! Nice to meet you, I'm Uzumaki Kushina!" all of a sudden standing right in front of him, Kushina held out her hand. "You're Minato, right?" she asked, her innocent eyes looking straight up into his blue ones.

"Uh, yeah, I'm Namikaze Minato, but you can just call me Minato, Kushina-san," he replied, a bit hesitant and surprised at the same time.

"Kushina..SAN?? What's with the suffix? Just call me Kushina!" she threw an arm around his shoulder, quite surprising the blonde at the casual contact. "I'm so glad to meet you Minato! Let's be the best of friends!" Unsure of what to say, Minato replied,

"S-sure..." Kushina took her arm back and whipped around to face Minato.

"Hey Minato, can you give me a tour of the village? I've never been here before, and all I've seen up till now are those faces," she pointed imperiously at the carved images. Minato smiled back at her.

"Hey, leave that to me. I promise to show you everything this place has to offer. Just one word of warning though, don't go near the hot springs,"

"There are hot springs here?? That's soo cool! Where I live, hot springs aren't really close, so I never really got to go to one. And we're all really prejudiced about showing our bare bodies to others, even those of the same gender, so hot springs are generally a no-no." she looked thoughtful. "Do you like to go to the hot springs Minato?"

"Umm, sometimes, when I'm really stressed, but I try to not go there much. Because if I do, without a doubt there will be someone I'll run into,"

Running his hand through his hair, Minato grinned sheepishly at the redhead. "Hey, why don't I take you to see the training grounds, the Hokage tower, the gardens, the cemetery, and if you want to, we can go see my house? I'm nearly done with packing, so.."

"Great! Let's go!" and with that, she grabbed his hand and rushed out of the secluded corner into the marketplace, Minato sputtering all the way. When they dashed through the markets, Minato was very red, and several women were glaring daggers at Kushina. Oblivious, she continued to race down the streets, chugging Minato along, laughing light heartedly some time of the way. Following along, Minato soon found himself laughing next to her, feeling very content and full. He haven't felt this way in a while, and... he was very elated, running like that, with Kushina holding onto his hand. Any form of speed always made him feel this way, but with Kushina running at the same pace he was, the moment felt especially special. Hearing Kushina shout out a jubilant whoop, he laughed loudly, clutching his stomach. She really was different.

* * *

Two hours later...

"Wow, so that's the Hokage tower!" Kushina jumped up and down. Minato chuckled.

"Yes, Kushina, that's the Hokage tower. Do you want to go inside?" he asked.

"Actually, I don't think we should bother the other ninja while they're doing their work. I think I've caused enough trouble for one day, and I don't want to bother anyone else," Kushina said, her fingers on her lip. Staring at her long, delicate fingers, a thought struck Minato.

"Hey Kushina?" he tentatively asked, "About the seal that you had before, can you tell me about it?"

"Huh? Oh, sure! You'll have to learn about them sooner or later anyway," she tapped her chin, "Lets see, the seal you saw was a seal unique to our clan, one that suppresses chakra," Minato nodded. He did remember not sensing any chakra usage from her before when they were fighting.

"How does it work? And why do you use it? I mean, what good can come out of sealing your chakra especially if you're in enemy grounds?" Minato asked, quite confused.

"Well, I don't know the mechanics of the seal, since I'm not a master, but I do know that we seal our chakra for many reasons. One, you can stay inconspicuous; two, it lessons danger hazards when we are in a certain area during a certain time; three, when we seal our chakra, it can serve as a diversion as well as a power boost," she finished. Minato was stunned.

"How is it a power boost if you are sealing away your own power source?" he questioned, not getting pretty much anything Kushina just said. Then, something clicked. "Does this have something to do with you being barefoot?" he asked, pointing to her shoeless feet.

"That's right! You really are smart, Minato! You see, the core of our sword techniques come from the musicality that we practice every day of our lives. It doesn't just depend on the sword style or the strength behind the slash, it depends on how you execute the technique in the first place. And our style, the Uzumaki-ryu, depends very heavily on how fluidly you move your body, like matching your pace to the beat of the music, or moving like you're dancing," Minato's eyes widened in understanding. So that's how she was able to dodge all those kunai and shuriken so gracefully without getting a scratch! This was truly amazing.

Kushina continued, "however, to pull off such grace and fluidity on the battlefield, we find the flow and go along with it—which in our case, is the flow of the earth and ground,"

"....The flow of the earth and ground," Minato repeated carefully,

"Yup! That's why we try to stay barefoot when we're fighting. We don't necessarily_ have_ to, but it is easier to balance out your attacks that way. As for me, I can fight just fine with my shoes on, but since it was my first time coming here, I didn't really know what to expect, and so I thought it would be better if I was just prepared for anything," Kushina grinned.

"Even so, I don't get how sealing away chakra helps you," Minato said, his eyes narrowing. Kushina rolled her eyes.

"Oookay, now here comes the hard part. Did you know that in the earth, there is a power that can runs throughout the ground?" Minato furrowed his eyebrows.

"You mean like Natural Energy? But I thought you had to be a sage to harness Natural Energy. Even my own sensei cannot control Natural Energy to the fullest, so I don't get what you mean," Minato said, tapping his forehead.

"Uh, no, it's not callled Natural Energy. What is that anyway?" Kushina asked, her turn to be confused.

"Never mind," Minato brushed it off. "continue, please."

"Alright, anyhoo, there is a special energy that runs in the ground. It's called Jinki, like a variation of Yin and Yang. We train so that we can freely run that ki through our body and give us a power boost. However, this is completely inapplicable with chakra. It cannot be mixed, nor can it be tampered with. If you want to use it, you have to have the seal activated.

But the people that can use the Jinki out of our family is only around 8 people. Only those who use the Hijutsu, the Tenzantenken-ryu, the Zankenmaru-ryu, the Ryuumaken-ryu, and the Rozuzansei-taijutsu are able to use this. The above mentioned sword styles and attack styles are special styles that are passed down from master to apprentice in our clan."

"Unlike the Uzumaki-ryu, which is taught to everyone, you must be chosen by the master to be his/her apprentice. So basically, the seal is just used for sneaking in and changing our appearance for all those who can't use the Jinki. Do you get it?" Kushina peered up into Minato's face, which was slightly frowning. His mind was a jumble right now. There was more than one style in the Uzumaki family? That in itself was crazy! But not only that, drawing power from the ground? He shook his head to clear out some of the fuzziness.

"Then what about your hair color and all that? Why does it change? Is it just a version of the seal?" he asked, intrigued.

"No, I don't really get this either, but they say that your innate chakra affects your appearances. Did you ever hear something like that?" Minato nodded, he had heard something from his sensei saying that demon hosts had a bit of their looks affected from the demon's chakra. Who says that it doesn't happen to normal people too? And ninja did tend to look more...unique than civilians. Just take Might Gan, for example. His eyebrows were legendary. And Sakumo? The amazing ninja's hair was silvery white, and whenever he was near the man, Hatake Sakumo's chakra felt... white.

Kushina went on with her explanation. "Well, it turns out the Uzumaki normally had black hair and black eyes as any typical Korean, but when we gained the knowledge to mold chakra, our hair color responded to our chakra, turning red in the process. That's why when we seal away that affecting factor, our hair returns to its normal color... Hey! I bet that your natural hair color is not yellow either!" Kushina reached up and took a strand of Minato's hair into her hand, "It's such a pretty color though," she regretfully added.

Minato was thinking deep about his chakra. So if he sealed his chakra away too, his hair might change colors? That was really cool!

'That seal of theirs must be flawless,' he concluded, then made a mental note to ask her to draw one on paper for him so that he could analyze it. Maybe even visit Jiraiya on the topic. Planning to ask Kushina on the five techniques she mentioned before, they headed to the cemetery to see the tombs of the First Hokage.

* * *

"Well, what do you want to do now?" Minato asked after they had been to all of the special places of Konoha, which included a visit to Ichiraku. Kushina and Teuchi had bonded instantly, and his wife insisted on making them take-out, so that they could eat it during dinner. She had also admired the material of Kushina's clothes, and asked about the pristine condition of her hair, as well as her flawless skin. All in all, they became very close friends and Kushina had a very fun time.

"Hmm, why not we go check out your house?" she suggested.

"Alright. Let's go---" Minato froze. Shoot! He'd forgotten that his house was a mess right now! Well, he did leave some Kage Bunshin behind, but who knows if they finished up their work or not! He'd have to delay the house tour..

"Yay!! Let's go!" Kushina dashed away, again with Minato's hand in hers, Minato's attempts to stop her bouncing off her without any affect.

"Nooo, wait Kushina...stop, please!!" huffing, Minato managed to untangle himself from her hand and jumped in front of her, holding his arms out in protest. "Wait, Kushina, I don't think going to my house is such a good idea right now. You see, there are some sights here in Konoha that need to be seen like, right now! Cause, uh, (checking his watch) it closes at 3:30, and it's 3:00 right now so..we better get going..." he tried to think of something catchy, but failed. Kushina's eyes lit up.

"Is it something really awesome? Like I'll forever regret it if I miss it right now?" she literally shined with anticipation. Minato stared at those wide, innocent eyes, and felt his lie slipping. He couldn't bear to lie at her bright face. After a painful moment, he sighed explosively.

"Let's just...go to my house," he slunched, inwardly desperately hoping his clones had finished the job.

"Okay!" Kushina bounced away, her hair flipping in and out. Her clothes swished against her shapely legs, and the material caught the sunlight, each flower glinting in conjunction with her red hair. She turned and looked around. "Minato, aren't you coming?" she asked, looking delightfully puzzled.

"Oh yeah, wait!" he sprang up to catch up to her, and she giggled brightly and bounced away. Turning into the array of secluded roads to his house, Minato led the way in front of the hyperactive redhead.

He just wished everything was presentable.

* * *

A few hours back...

"Kushina? Kushina, where are you?" called out a deep, clear voice, one that belonged to the Head of the Uzumaki, Uzumaki Naoki. Wearing a plain, American Eagle shirt and khakis with his slightly darkening red hair combed neatly, his keen eyes roamed about the large, 7 bedroom, 9 restroom house that was located in the gated residence of Bradbury, in South California. Sometimes he hated having such a large house, for it took forever to locate his two sons and single daughter when it was time for dinner. Along with the 7 bedrooms and 9 restrooms, he had 3 study rooms, 2 dining rooms, a 5 car garage, and a movie room and a shoe room. He had two grand staircases that both led upstairs, and also had two living rooms, one on the main floor and the other upstairs. He also had a piano room, although many other grand pianos were situated all around the house. Huge chandeliers adorned the ceilings, and unique frescoes gave the house a beautiful touch. Italian made furniture was set up fashionably all around the house, and he also had a large basement beneath the dark wooden floors and a wide, gym/orchestra/choir/party/dojo room to the corner of the basement. The basement was well lit and ventilated. Usually, it was used for sparring, as the gym (or multipurpose room) was not fit for extensive training. The basement had no paneling, but was just a dirt floor which allowed fighters to go out max when dueling.

Also, if the multipurpose room was damaged in any way, the maestro of the orchestra, who was a very strict, stern, unique man who lived for music only, complained profusely, using his eloquent speaking skills to put down Naoki considerably. For that reason, he really disliked it when people sparred in the multipurpose room. Hmm, still no Kushina. Ever since Shinzou, his eldest, had gone away to Harvard University on the opposite side of the country, his large house had seemed even more empty. He checked the basement. Perhaps Kushina was training. It was the middle of Spring Break after all. Hmm, no Kushina. Where did that child go?! Perhaps, she's playing tennis with her friends...Naoki called her phone while walking back upstairs. He walked into Kushina's room... "Ring ring!" Naoki froze. Kushina had left her phone. She must be still in the house then. She never goes anywhere without her phone, not even to her cousin's house located just across the street. No Kushina. Is she in the backyard? No Kushina. Where is she?? He was starting to get very worried now. He hurried into the first floor living room, where his second eldest, Temjin was reading a book. "Temjin, have you seen Kushina?" he panted, startling his son who always had a calm, quiet disposition.

"**What is wrong, Father?" **Temjin asked in a dangerous monotone, his English sounding eerie compared to his Father's Japanese. Switching to English, which Naoki was more comfortable with, Naoki said, **"I can't find Cassie anywhere. Do you know where Cassie is Matthew?" **

"**No, I haven't seen her for quite some time now. The last time I saw her was when she was dressed in her battle clothes, and was holding her sword. I thought she was going to the nearby hill to train; she's not outside?" **

"**No. she's not anywhere. I have checked all the rooms, the basement, the other Uzumaki's houses, her friends, her cellphone, and the backyard. I don't think she's at any of the hills either."**

Matthew/Temjin sat up, throwing his book aside. **"When was the last time YOU'VE seen her Father?"**

"**I saw her last when I told her she could be the one to go pick the boy up from the ninja world...she was running around in circles..." **he took in a sharp breath. **"She COULDN'T HAVE--!"**

Temjin jerked up, running a hand through his slightly spiked red hair that accentuated his beautiful jawline and keen eyes that he inherited from his father. His slim face and lanky, toned frame went stiff. He knew what this meant: Kushina had never been allowed in the Ninja world due to over-protectiveness from Father, himself, and Shinzou. This event must have fueled her wish to go to the ninja world...and caused her to run out of the house. Both men's minds were overridden with thoughts of assault, kidnap, and rape.** "NO!!" father roared. "We have to get her back!! I won't allow any harm to fall on my daughter! She won't--"**

"**Father, please calm down. Allow me to handle this. I will call Shinzou and ask him to help as well," Temjin placed a hand on his father. **

"**Shinzou? But he is busy with studies! He can't go—I'll go. I'll.." once again, he was cut off. **

"**Father, in your state, you can't just rush off to the Ninja world. Please stay here, and trust me on this," **Temjin looked into his father's eye. The man was still in a state of panic. His sole daughter was in possible danger, and he was being told to sit still. Although he knew Temjin was right, he just couldn't accept it. But he nodded his head defeated, and sat on the couch. Assured that his father wouldn't have any more outbursts, Tenjin ran upstairs to change into his battle clothes. Wearing a black, long sleeved robe made out of a reflective, tough material, with a thick leather waist piece around his waist holding everything together with a sash, he wore a long necked, long sleeved black shirt that clung to his skin underneath the other black clothes. He put on white pants and black boot like shoes, and grabbing his 3ft and ½ sword from the wall, he quickly dialed his brother's number and waited for him to pick up.

Meanwhile, Shinzou was in his dorm room in Boston, Massachusetts. He was enjoying the little bit of freedom that he was granted during this week long spring break. He was going crazy with all the studies he was doing..he really shouldn't have taken up a double major. Lying on his messy bed, Shinzou put his arm on his face, relishing the silence. When his phone rang, he sat up, very annoyed, and snatched his phone from his desk. **"Hello?" **he asked, sarcasm evident in his tone.

"**Andrew! It's me. We have a problem. Cassie's gone missing. We think she ran off to the ninja world by herself. Can you go there right now and help me find her? Father thinks she might have went to the Leaf village, since she said something about meeting Sarutobi-jisan a few days ago," **Temjin shouted into the reciever. Shinzou jumped out of his bed, detangling the quilt from his legs, his face madly twitching. Shinzou was a humorous, joke loving guy but some jokes were out of bounds, as was this little game Kushina was playing. He would soo catch that little misfit and...!

"**ARGGGH!! that little--! Okay, I got it. You head for the village. I'll go there as fast as I can. Don't wait for me at the gate..let's meet at the tower at around... 5:00. okay? It takes about an hour to get to the village from the portal anyway, and I might take longer," **Shinzou was already stripping off his clothes and putting on the identical battle clothes his brother donned. He pulled out a sealing scroll from under his bed and unsealed his 3ft and ¾ sword that he secretly took with him on the plane by sealing it away. Tousling his slightly longer, more spiky red hair that he had in an attention-getting hairstyle, Shinzou also had the flawless complexion both of his siblings flaunted. He had a well carved face with the same keen eyes of his father, and the nose of his mother, but his eyes were a tad bit larger than his brother. But that was because Temjin had a smaller face. It wasn't too noticeable, but it showed the age gap between the two. Shinzou was 19, and Temjin was 17, both having celebrated their birthdays in March and early April.

Setting his phone down, and hiding his now empty scroll, Shinzou unsheathed his sword. Nicking a bit of his thumb with the razor sharp edge, he ran the tiny stream of blood down on the flat of his sword. Concentrating, he ran through a series of handseals and slashed with the sword in what seemed to be open air. However, his blade cut through something, and he sliced a rectangular shape out of the fabric that separates the worlds. Leaping through the make shift door, Shinzou dashed away, while the opening behind him knitted itself back, and cut open a new passage when he came to the other side, continuing to run even after he came out of the portal. Now surrounded by trees of all types and sizes, he picked up his speed towards the village of the hidden leaves. From another portal around the Leaf Village, his brother Temjin followed suit. Both of them in hungry desperation to find their little sister, hoping nothing has happened to her.

* * *

Presently, in the leaf village, Kushina was totally unaware of her family's worry. She was with Minato in his room, helping him to sort out the things he wouldn't need. To Minato's relief, his clones had finished the job of cleaning up and packing, but according to Kushina, there was no need to take his ninja gear and weapons, as he would not be using them at all. So, although a little grudgingly, he sat down his supply of shuriken and kunai, his metal plated, fingerless gloves, his blue, shinobi uniform, and his flak jacket. He was definitely taking his headband and sealing books though. And his sealing scrolls. How else would he lug all that stuff over to the other side? According to Kushina, on the "other side," everything was very technologically advanced, and had no need for ninja. But her family still taught their children how to fight, although they never used it in their world. She added that when they were at a certain age and reached some maturity with their mental, physical and emotional well-being, as well as skill with the sword and the Uzumaki taijutsu ("You have a special taijutsu too??!?" Minato yelled), they were allowed to sign the secret contract and go to the ninja world with an experienced senior. After that, they were allowed to go back and forth as they please, as long as their parents do not put up any restrictions about the matter. However, it seemed that parents DID put up limits, like: No visiting without approval, or no visiting without being on brake, or no visiting at ALL! The last rule was not in effect in any of the Uzumaki homes except for one; her house.

"Yeah, so Otou-sama never let me come here," Kushina remarked with a sad tone. "not just Otou-sama, but Shinzou Nii-sama and Temjin Nii-sama forbid me from coming too. They could've taken me with them, but they were just so busy, and they worry about me too much. Sometimes I hate being the youngest," Kushina drooped, sadly twiddling her fingers. Minato felt sorry and ashamed. He wanted to comfort the girl, but he couldn't bring himself to reach out and take her hand the way she did earlier. Running ideas on how to cheer up the girl, he looked at the scroll containing the take out ramen they received earlier. Maybe...

"Hey, why don't we go outside and sit on top of the Hokage Monument? We can have dinner over there," he held up the scroll. Kushina looked up into his face, then she looked at the clock on the wall. It read 4:00, and for Kushina who ate dinner at 5:00 every day at home, it wasn't too bad.

"Okay, sure! Whose head are we going to sit on?" she asked brightly. Minato smiled, glad she was back to her original self.

"I always sit on the Third's," he replied "it gives me a good view of the village, not too to the right, exactly in the center. I think you'll like it up there," Kushina grabbed her sword and tied it back onto her waist.

"Let's go right now!" she chirped, smiling and her eyes filling with mirth. Minato grinned, her brightness was contagious. They stepped outside his house and walked into the streets. Talking animatedly, they walked up to the curve in the road, when a murderous voice yelled out, causing Kushina to flinch, then slowly look behind her in fright.

"There you are, you little troublemaker!" Minato was very startled; he hadn't sensed anyone approaching them. Yet this man, whoever he was, had managed to do it. He frowned. His defenses must be lax. He should train more. As he too looked back, he saw a man with the same, fiery red hair as Kushina. He was dressed in black, with a turtleneck shirt under his black overlay. He too carried a sword, but this one was not strapped onto him in any way: he carried it in his right hand. Minato noticed this and thought,

'funny. He carries his sword in his right hand. Is he left handed, or is he just inexperienced despite his skill? Who is that man anyway? Who is he calling troublemaker?' Minato scowled, his eyes becoming cold. Just then, Kushina answered his question. Looking frightened and practically frozen, she spluttered,

"S-Shinzou Onii-sama,"

"Kushina, would you care to explain yourself?" the killer intent coming from Shinzou was nearly unbearable. For battle hardened Minato, it was hardly a ruse, but for Kushina, it was suffocating. On the other hand, Minato was shocked to hear that the redheaded man was Kushina's older brother, the one she had talked about. From his viewpoint, Shinzou looked livid. Anger was rolling off his body in waves, and his chakra was rising to a point Minato didn't think was possible. Reflexively, he tensed, his hand clenching. Kushina, however, looked terrified.

"Nii-sama, I—I.." Shinzou's glare hardened. He took a step, then another, coming to a stop right in front of her. He towered over the girl, and stared down at her eyes with fury.

"Do you know how worried we were? Otou-sama and Temjin and me? Temjin had to call me away from Boston just to find you! We had to calm Otou-sama down! What if you were attacked, Kushina? Robbed, kidnapped, assaulted...RAPED?!? or even KILLED??" Kushina cowered under his gaze.

"If any of that had happened to you, do you know how we'd feel? Did you even consider?" Kushina dropped her gaze completely. Shinzou continued. "I am furious that you'd put your life at risk that way without even giving a thought to how we'd react as your family. I really am." Kushina's head popped up.

"But Onii-sama! I can take care of myself! You know that! None of the things that you described would have happened," she cried out, defending herself. "and you didn't have to interrupt your studies just so you can come find me. It's not that important."

"Not important?! How can you say that? True, you are an accomplished master of the blade, but in the end, you are only at a certain level, and there are plenty stronger people out there who might take advantage of you!" dropping his angry facade, he reached up and hugged Kushina tenderly to his heart.

"Just never do something like that again, Okay?" he stroked her head. Kushina grumbled incoherently.

Shinzou all of a sudden whipped her around and grinded his knuckles into her red head. Kushina yelled out in protest. (UWAHHHH~~)

"DON'T. EVER. DO. THAT. AGAIN. GOT. IT???" Shinzou continued to give her a knuckle-full.

"UWAH—I'm sorry, I'll never do it again~UWAHHHHHH, UHHH!!" Kushina wailed, fully satisfying her eldest brother. Who no longer had any anger or tension in him now that he found his little sister. 'Now.. just have to find Temjin....Hmm? Who is this boy?' he thought.

The said person, Minato, was currently in a situation at which he didn't know how to react. Truthfully, he was shocked at the interaction between Kushina and Shinzou. He was still stiff, and when Shinzou turned his clear, gray gaze to him, he jolted. Unconsciously, he swallowed. Despite being a Jounin, he was still intimidated by this man who radiated power. Shinzou frowned.

"Kushina, who is this person? I don't think I've ever met him," he asked his sister, who was in the middle of nursing her head.

"Oh, Nii-sama! This is Minato! The one who's coming to live with us?" Kushina said.

"Really?" Shinzou said. "Hmm, well isn't this quite the surprise... Well, nice to meet you Minato! The name's Uzumaki Shinzou. I'm Kushina's oldest brother. I suppose you'll be living with us soon eh?" he chuckled lightly. Just like before, Minato found the laugh contagious, and couldn't help but chuckle back, effectively relaxing his body. This guy didn't seem so bad. Then, Shinzou frowned again.

"There is a slight problem though....oh well, we can just say it was a genetic defect," he shrugged, grinning again. Minato blinked.

"What problem?" he asked. Shinzou looked at him squarely in the eye, the way Kushina had done earlier.

'They really are siblings,' Minato noted wryly. The similarity between the two was striking. He wondered what it would have been like if_ he_ had any siblings...

Shinzou opened his mouth.

...."You're blonde,"

Minato sweatdropped. 'Not again!'

* * *

Hello, this is Hulkishpower. Hope you liked the chapter. I know it's a little bumpy, but that's because this is my first time trying to write time skips. Hopefully you weren't confused when Temjin all of a sudden started talking in English. Naoki is more comfortable in English as well, because he grew up in America. He's fluent in Japanese, but that's like his second language. Same goes for Temjin and Shinzou and Kushina. I think bilingual readers will understand. All those names like Cassie and Matthew are Kushina and Temjin's American names. I already have a name for Minato in mind. But feel free to suggest a name, for I will consider changing it. Oh, and if you are recongnizing the names from Lord of the land of fire's stories, please know that I am not exactly plagerizing. He said that I could use those names, since he/she got them over the internet anyway. Please R/R.

-Hulkishpower


	4. New Meetings and the Departure

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

**UPDATED: 12/29/09**

**English**

_**Korean**_

Japanese

**Cassie**=Kushina

**Andrew**=Shinzou

**Matthew**=Temjin

**Scott**=Naoki

**Karen**=Miki(Mrs. Uzumaki/mom)

NOTE: I went ahead and gave them all Korean names, too, but at this point in the story, I think it will be too confusing to keep track of all the names. I might not even introduce their Korean names, but if I do, it will be much later in the future, when every character's image is well set up. Enjoy!

* * *

The sun was high, tilting towards the west, still giving out much light and warmth. It was beginning to turn light orange though, with the time ticking by, as the clock needle gradually bent over to the number 5. It was not quite there, yet, but was definitely moving, the regular ticks in rhythm with the tocks. As the two redheads and the lone blonde strutted up the empty street towards the Hokage tower, the silence between the two parties was impeccable. The shorter redhead looked resigned, while the taller looked guilty and awkward. The blonde's face was devoid of any kind of emotion, but inside, he was the one with the most emotional turmoil.

Shinzou stole a glance at Minato, only his eyeballs moving, not breaking his stride. Honestly, he didn't know that little statement would offend the guy! He thought he'd be cool about it and brush it off, but apparently the blonde is more sensitive than he first thought him to be. Che, the little boy's just broody. For goodness' sake, he was just JOKING! Can't the guy take a joke? Seriously. He leaned over to Kushina. **"Hey, Cassie,"** he whispered, **"what's up with that guy? Is he like, mad? Cause I didn't mean anything different when I said he was blonde ya know, and--"** Kushina swooped down on him like a hawk on mouse.

"**Mad? Of course he'd be mad! He's been hearing that all day! I've accidentally said that to him too, and now you just had to go and say it to him AGAIN. What are you, an idiot? Don't ask me these stupid questions and just apologize!" **She heatedly whispered back, not at all like her respectful self when speaking Japanese. She too, stole a glance at Minato, who was was walking tiredly a few feet away from them. He pointed implied that he didn't really want to talk to them again, at least for a while. Now he heard them whispering to each other in some other language that he didn't know.

In his mind, Minato was doing his best to sort out his jumbled up emotions. On one side, he felt annoyed, but on the other, he was amused at the obvious resemblance the two redheads shared as siblings. However, on the whole, he was just plain upset. He didn't know how to deal with these new feelings. Even when he thought about his parents' death, his mind did not get all clouded like this. He prided in his ability to think straight and analyze the situation. But this.. he didn't know how to react to this kind of thing. All the ninjas here respected him as a powerful fighter, and none made remarks on such things. It seemed, that in the other world, there was much more to living than just becoming stronger. This again increased his list of 'things to talk about,' and that hurt his head. Sometimes, he wanted to be more like his students; at least they would know what to do in this sort of situation. Minato was thinking so hard, that he didn't realize that Shinzou had crept up right beside him, silent the whole time. "YEOOOOW!" Minato jumped, then scrambling, hurried over to Kushina and positioned himself so that her small body partly hid his taller self. Peering over at the offensive male redhead, Minato cleared his throat. All this was done without anyone breaking their stride. They were now a considerable distance away from his house. He could see the tower up ahead.

Shinzou was furrowed his eyebrows. 'Well, that plan about walking up to the guy and apologizing worked wonderfully,' he sarcastically remarked. 'and what was that girly scream? The guy's kinda strange. He's so erratic..maybe because he's an orphan,' he trailed off, feeling slightly sorry for the blonde boy. Hey now he felt worse about his little comment. He really should say sorry.

At the same time, Minato was still staring at Shinzou with worry. 'That was close. How in the world did he get behind me like that??! I thought I was gonna have a heart attack!' he inwardly let out a sigh. Then more remorsefully, '….am I gonna survive when I stay with that guy full time? May the gods please have mercy on me,'

Kushina was thinking, '**Oh boy,' **

(…......................Walk, walk, walk.........)

Shinzou/Minato/Kushina: 'Awkward Silence...'

They came to a stop at the tower.

* * *

Temjin was having a panic attack. Zooming throughout the more secluded parts of Konoha, he jerked his head in all wild directions to see if could find his sister. He wasn't the most expressive guy out there, but he wasn't emotionless, and his face definitely was not blank and cold looking all the time. He did show emotion, just not in humongous quantities like his childish older brother and hyperactive little sister. Because the two were so outgoing and persistent, it was him usually having to clean up whatever mess they created. The sad thing was, it wasn't like he could just ditch them either; who knows how 'out of bounds' his sister and brother might get without him to rein them in? Shinzou yelled something about Kushina being a troublemaker, but he was just the same, so he had no right to say something like that.

Well, at least Shinzou never ran out of the house. But at the same time, Shinzou wasn't the youngest, most doted on _girl _in the family. He passed by the hot springs. Realizing that he couldn't look for Kushina in _there,_ he yelled, "KUSHINA! KUSHINA—CAN YOU HEAR ME?!" all he heard was the sound of women talking, and the rushing of the waters, and...giggling? Huh?

The white steam impairing his view, Temjin thought he vaguely saw the outline of a white, spiky haired man crouching in front of one of the bathhouses. Thinking that he must have imagined it, Temjin ran off. It was nearly five, and hopefully, Shinzou have found Kushina..if not they would have to simply double their efforts. The problem was that they didn't know how long they had until either something terrible happens to Kushina, or until their father runs out of patience and charges into the Ninja world. Both scenarios sounded plenty bad to Temjin, and he pumped chakra to his feet, propelling himself at an amazing speed towards the Hokage tower.

In front of the Hokage tower, the three teens stood in a line, all facing the open road in front of them. The sun leaned over to the west even more, lengthening their shadows. They all shuffled around uncomfortably. After a minute, Shinzou finally made a move.

"THAT'S IT. I AM GOING TO TALK TO YOU WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT," with one sweeping motion, he suddenly appeared in front of Minato and grabbed him by the collar. Kushina looked on disapprovingly. She hated it when guys got all "touchy touchy" when dealing with emotional/social problems.

'Oh well. It's the only form of communication human males are capable of,' Kushina thought, 'so I'll let it slide, even though I don't like the way Shinzou is treating Minato,'

Minato, thoroughly surprised at Shinzou's sudden action, met Shinzou's pissed looking eyes.

"Hey, _Minato. _I'm sorry I called you blonde earlier, alright? It was a joke! I didn't mean anything! I just meant that you have different hair color than we do, and it put me off because I already consider you part of my family. Even though I don't really know you yet, I plan to get to know you reallll soon. If not by words then through fists! Believe it! And in the same sense, I know you don't really know me yet, but if it's not obvious yet, this is the type of guy I am! People say that I'm funny, hyper, energetic, generally insensitive, talented at pretty much everything, outgoing, confident, and handsome. Hey now you know a little about me and the type of guy I am, so can we just call it a truce?" Shinzou let go of Minato's shirt and looked down at him apologetically. Minato still didn't quite know what to make of the eccentric teenager, but he seemed sincere about his apology, so...

Minato accepted Shinzou's handshake. "I know I may seem a bit timid to you," Minato started, "but the truth is, I'm just not as used to having such company. This is my first time encountering someone like you and Kushina. And I wasn't mad, just confused, so you don't exactly have to apologize,"

Shinzou's solemn face shifted into a devious grin. "Well we'll just have to change that, won't we?" he wickedly whispered. His hands flexing, he pulled it out of Minato's grip. "If the guy is just naturally stiff, then we'll just have to BREAK him out of that mindset..." he drawled, clenching his fist, then unclenching, repeating the process over and over. Minato gulped. Maybe he shouldn't have been so quick to forgive the guy. He looked scary! Oh $#&!!

Kushina shook her head. "Nii-sama, don't threaten Minato even before he moves in! That part's supposed to be reserved for when we get together with the rest of the clan! That way we have more fun at watching his expression!" she chastised. Minato snapped up to look at her.

'WHAT?!!' he mentally screamed. 'This was planned out??'

Kushina continued, "now you've ruined it, tsk tsk. You're such a killjoy Shinzou Onii-sama," Shinzou's grin widened.

"Sorry if I just have a habit of taking all the fun for myself. It's just that I'll have soo much fun messing with this guy, I couldn't help it! HA HA HA~!" Shinzou cackled, while Minato shivered. The only thing keeping the fear off his face was the intense ninja training he had gone under. However, his rigid body state gave away what he was feeling at the moment, and so that visual defense was momentarily useless. Shinzou noticed Minato's frozen body. 'Heh, the guy is scared stiff. But he's not showing any of that on his face. Hmm, gotta fix that habit. It's good to express your emotions, even if it's useful to hide them on the battlefield,"

Kushina was thinking the same thing. 'Minato should learn how to loosen up when he's with family and friends. Right now, he's not showing his facial expressions very openly. Even back when he and I were talking, he didn't express himself much," each formulating a plan of their own, the two siblings returned to their original spot in the line, leaving a baffled Minato behind. As they continued to wait, they began to see a speck of black in the horizon.

"Hey, is that??" Kushina asked excited. Shinzou nodded while Minato looked on curiously.

"Yes, that's Temjin. It's time to go home Kushina," incredulous, Minato turned to face the older redhead.

"Just how did the two of you get in here so easily? Do you have identification? But I thought that you guys didn't have.." Shinzou nervously scratched his head.

"about that...we just sort of...ran in, haha," Minato smacked a palm to his face. He took it back. The siblings weren't just _similar,_ they were downright the _same._ Temjin neared them.

From a few yards away, Temjin could see that Kushina was standing next to Shinzou. He was overjoyed to see his little sister. But he was also feeling irate, though much of those feelings melted at the sight of his cuute sister waving brightly. Another part of him was irritated that she was smiling so happily when she was in trouble, but at the same time, he was glad nothing had happened to her. As he came within feet of the group, he idly wondered who the blonde boy was, but cast that thought away as he reached up and crushed Kushina to his chest.

"Are you okay? Nothing happened to you?" he asked earnestly, studying her sweet face for any injuries.

"Nope, just fine! Sorry about running away Temjin Onii-sama," she said radiantly, then more downcast.

Looking over his shoulder at Shinzou, Temjin said,

"Nii-sama, where and when did you find her? Was she alright?"

"Yeah, she was pretty much fine. Che, worried for nothing," Shinzou grumbled. "Oh yeah, Temjin, meet Minato, this is our newest family member," Temjin appraised the blondewith neutral eyes. Now that his initial panic was over, he was back to his original self. With Minato's clear, honest eyes, Temjin thought he would make an excellent little brother. He smiled at the blonde boy.

"Nice to meet you Minato, I'm Uzumaki Temjin, the middle child. I'm the one on clean-up duty most of the time. Hopefully you won't be as crazy and hard to manage like these two," he gestured towards Shinzou and Kushina, who both _harrumphed. _Minato grinned as well. He'd only met both Shinzou and Kushina for a little while, so he didn't know them that well yet, but he certainly understood what Temjin meant. Then a lightbulb came on.

"Hey! Both you and Shinzou just ran in here, didn't you? Or did you get permission to pass?"

the two brothers looked blank. They looked at each other and blinked, scratching their heads. "Ugh, I knew it," Minato pinched the bridge of his nose tiredly. "before you guys go home, why don't we go inside and tell Hokage-sama that the two of you are here...So that you don't get into trouble like a certain someone," Kushina giggled. The three redheads followed the Jounin into the tower, all trying to look as innocent as possible.

Sarutobi coldly appraised the three redheads with his eyes over the brim of his crisscrossed fingers. The three shifted on their feet uncomfortably, each with a guilty looking smile on their face. The front of Sarutobi's desk was piled with scrolls, pieces of paper and alert notes. From the way they were all stacked together, the 3 Uzumakis somehow guessed that they were all about the two other intruders that penetrated the village 3 hours after the first. Complaints, doubts, and queries littered all over the paper, the citizens/ninja of Konoha questioned Sarutobi if his words of "there is no enemy" was indeed correct. If it was, then why had there been two more infiltrations in the village on the very SAME DAY?? He originally had more than the usual paperwork thanks to Minato's mission. However, that stack was nearly doubled thanks to all the trouble the Uzumakis caused. His eyes sharped as he glared at them. Kushina, Shinzou, and Temjin all were utilizing Puppy eyes no jutsu to the fullest, but such tricks will not work on him, the Hokage! Minato stood to the side of the room, wisely avoiding the middle aged man's wrath. Still glaring, he lowered his arms and stood up, never breaking eye contact. Then, he slammed his fists down on the table with a loud bang. The three redheads flinched.

"_Despite the fact that I haven't seen any of you since the past three years, I so hate you all right now," _Sarutobi said dangerously. _"Can anyone guess why?" _ Luckily, no one dared attempt to answer his sacastic question. Sarutobi menacingly tore open one of his drawers and took out 3 blank cards. He furiously scribbled something down on each of them, then stamped them hard and threw them at the redheads. When they caught it, they all saw that it was an authorized, signed copy of a pass into Konoha. Unknown to Sarutobi, all three were very touched. "Now take that and get out of here. I have paper work to do," he peeled open a scroll and began reading, but was stopped when all three Uzumakis hugged him as hard as they could.

"Thank you, Saru-jiji," they all mumbled out, feeling specially grateful to the man who was sort of like their "second" father. Sarutobi patted them all a bit, then told them to let him go, cause he had a lot of work to do. He told Shinzou and Temjin to visit more, though, if they could. The two brothers said that they will, but Kushina won't, most likely because Otou-sama would put her on house arrest once she got back home. Kushina whined loudly at that, but it couldn't be helped. They'll have to see how severe the punishment would be after they go back. Kushina attempted to run of of the office, but the two, highly trained swordsmen grabbed her by the waist and held her there limply, Kushina grumbling the entire time.

"Alright, we'll be going now," Shinzou announced, still holding the squirming Kushina by the waist. Temjin also had an arm around her, the two brothers sharing her weight. Not that she was heavy, but every time they let their guard down, she tried to make a run for it, and it was safer for both of them to hold onto her. They were all standing in front of the main gate, the two Chuunin guards still looking at them suspiciously, recognizing the three from the afternoon. Minato stood with the Uzumaki at the gates. He wasn't going yet, he was still on the "wait for two days" schedule. Now that Kushina was detained, someone else would come for him at the meeting point. Secretly, he despaired, but no one noticed. He waved good bye. "See you later guys. Have a safe trip home," Kushina waved from her current position.

"Bye Minato! We'll be sure to come for you two days later!" Shinzou nodded, as he couldn't wave (he had Kushina in one hand and his sword in the other)

"We'll have to get your room all set up, and get you some American clothes. Those clothes just won't do, even if they're civilian clothing," then he maliciously smirked at the blonde, giving Minato a shiver up his spine. "If you're still stiff two days later, we'll just have to -'CRACK'(cracking his neck)- "break" you in on the stiffness won't we?" Laughing, Temjin said,

"Ignore him Minato, he's just like that. He'll only be with us for a week anyway, seeing today is Sunday and there is only a week of Spring Break," this reassurance didn't work on Minato however, seeing how he didn't know anything about the school system yet. Either way, the three Uzumakis turned, then restrengthening the grip they had on the sister, jumped away into the distance. Minato waved until he could see them no more. When they finally disappeared from sight, he did a 180 degree turn and ran for home. He couldn't wait till he got to the Uzumaki's home, even if Shinzou scared him a bit.

The next day, at Uzumaki residence.. 8:00 AM

Kushina was lying in bed, dressed in old P.E shorts and a large, worn shirt. She was awake, but she didn't feel like getting up. Yesterday night had been horrible. Otou-sama had been so worried and angry, she was now officially grounded for a month. It had been a dramatic moment. Her Otou-sama, usually composed and dignified, had broken down into pieces in front of her. He actually had made her feel GUILTY! Her Okaa-sama had also been very worried, but for the most part she was just glad to have a rest from restraining her husband. After Temjin left, it had been her job to detain him and keep him in the house. Uzumaki Miki, also an accomplished swordsman, had resorted to threatening her husband with whatever she had in her hand at the time, which happened to be a kitchen knife and an onion, and yelled that if he attempted to go after Kushina, she would take it on herself to shove the onion into his eyes.

At this, Naoki had stopped swinging his sword about, but continued to fret, pacing all around their huge house. When their sons had come back, with a struggling Kushina in tow, they had both waves of relief hitting them hard, and Naoki had to sit down from the nausea before he regained his poker face and started yelling at his only daughter. All in all, Kushina was banned from leaving the house except for when she was with her brothers or her parents. As a result she couldn't go to get Minato anymore..she was so SAD!!! She really wanted to see him again. Tracing random symbols on the covers, she lay on her side as she thought about his handsome features and sheepish smile. He had been kind, and she couldn't wait till he lived here. At least no one had stopped her from helping out inside the would have to set up Minato's room, get him some clothes, some shoes, a cell phone, an instrument, a tennis racket, so many things!

Jumping up from bed, she swept a gaze over her wide, normal sized room and her queen sized bed with plump red comforters and pillows, her desk, the white shutters, the walk through closet, the 2 red puffies that lined the foot of the bed, and lastly, the door in her room that would lead to the bathroom. Smoothing out her hair, she got out from her room and walked down to the hallway. She could hear the clangs as her mother made breakfast. She looked at the room right next to hers and grinned. That room would be Minato's. Next to it was Shinzou's bedroom, also with his own restroom, and after that was Temjin's. All the bedrooms had a bathroom with it, except the master room had more than just a bathroom. It had a study room attached to it as well. The other study room was on the other side of Kushina's room. All their rooms were located on the second floor, although some vacant ones were downstairs. Those were used as guest rooms. No one from Kushina's immediate family ever slept downstairs. It just didn't seem right. The two extra bathrooms were on the first floor too. They flanked the garage. Outside, the house was surrounded by Peony trees, Kushina's favorite flower. Kushina snickered at the thought of decorating Minato's room. She had the perfect color in mind.

"**Andrew, get up, get up!"** Kushina/Cassie yanked the dark blue blanket from Shinzou/Andrew's form. He jerked, sleepily looking up, then falling back onto the sheets.

"**Whatta want Cassie..?" **he slurred, half asleep. Cassie reached out and slapped her older brother on his butt.

"**Wake up! We have to decorate Minato's room! We have a lot of work to do, remember?"** Slap slap.

Shinzou/Andrew shied away from the brutal slaps, rubbing his butt.

"**Go bother Matthew,"** he mumbled, feeling around for his covers.

"**I'll do just that once you get up,"** Cassie said as she made her way around Andrew's bed and opened all shutters at once. Shinzou screamed in pain.

"**Ouch! Stop, close that thing! Ow, stop, stop!" **he covered his eyes with his hands, and yelled,** "alright, I'll get up, so stop!! please!" **Cassie smirked, than picked up some of the clothes from the mess on the floor and threw it at her brother's face. Charging out of his door, she made way to Temjin/Matthew's room, which was decorated in green. Unlike Andrew, Matthew was already up, brushing his teeth, and simply nodded at her when she came in through the door. Now that her job of waking her brothers was complete, she marched downstairs to enjoy a bit of her mom's delicious porridge. She couldn't wait till she got started on the rooms, then the clothes, then the shoes, (will he like Nikes, or Converse?)...ooooh, so fun! And as for the puffies...it was tradition for all her immediate family to have them...they already had the colors red, blue, green, and beige, and brown. What color would Minato be? And the instrument.. she really wanted Minato to play Violin like she did. Matthew played the Contrabass and Andrew played both the Violin and the Cello. Her mother was a Piano major and her father played the Saxophone. All of them played Piano proficiently, but it wasn't their major instrument. While she was speculating about these things, Matthew came downstairs, dragging a zombie Andrew by his side.

Andrew was originally supposed to go back to his dorm in Massachusetts, but he decided to stay home till the end of Spring break. But now, he wasn't feeling so sure he should have stayed, because that look on Cassie's face showed that she was gonna work them till they drop dead. Cassie's eyes glowed demonically. It was so fun to have control over your elder brothers. On the upside, all three of them were excited about preparing for Minato's homecoming, Andrew too once he got over from his sleepiness. After breakfast, the three Uzumaki siblings put their heads together and came up with a wonderful plan to welcome Minato into their house. They dragged the necessary items from the storage in the garage, and then rolled up their sleeves.

"Let's begin."

* * *

A day later..

Minato was standing in front of the west gate, holding a backpack with all the sealing scrolls inside, which had more sealing scrolls inside, which held stuff. His sensei looked about to cry, but he patted him consolingly on the shoulder. The Hokage, looked happy yet grim. Sarutobi hoped that his mission would help the boy become more relaxed around his friends. Minato's students, Obito, Kakashi, and Rin all held backpacks as well. They were to be the escorts of Namikaze Minato to the rendezvous point, then to come back to the village. It was a farewell gift from the Sandaime. It was a chance to let the three small Genin say goodbye to their sensei. Surprisingly, Tsunade was also there, as was Orochimaru. Tsunade was on good terms with Minato, and for some reason wanted to say good bye as well. But for Orochimaru, Jiraiya had been clinging to his legs all day yesterday, half begging, half crying, and ended up coming as support for his perverted friend.

"Bye Minato," Jiraiya rasped out, Orochimaru nodding his own farewell from behind.

"I'll miss you like crazy, that's for sure. Don't be lax in training, don't forget the seals I've taught you, and keep on working your butt off at what they teach you. And lastly, don't forget your sensei," Jiraiya's voice got thick, and he refused to speak any more, as he turned his back on Minato.

"I never will forget you, Jiraiya sensei, nor will I forget anyone else here. You are all precious to me, and I promise to come back stronger than ever. Thank you for supporting me by being here today. I really thank all of you, I really am," turning around, he began to walk away into the woods, looking back sadly and waving. All the adults waved back, and with his students following dutifully behind him, Minato officially began the journey towards his new life.

* * *

**Hi, this is Hulkishpower. Sorry I didn't update yesterday. I didn't really proofread this one so please excuse the mistakes/confusing sents. I hope you all understand that Kushina is the same person as Cassie. It's just her english name. So don't get confused when I switch their names. I'll only do that when they're talking in english, and that will be often, as they live in america. If you don't know what the puffies are, they are those large, fat, round cushion like things that you can sit on, and they'll be all puffy. I don't know the exact name though. The Uzumaki are very musical, so I'm gonna be putting in a lot of musical scenes now. I'll read this over and correct the mistakes later. Thank you and stay tuned for the next chapter!**

**-Hulkishpower**


	5. The Beginning of the Beginning

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. He belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

Updated: 12/30/09

Japanese

**English**

_**Korean**_

Shinzou=Andrew

Temjin=Matthew

Kushina=Cassie/Cassandra

* * *

Jumping from branch to branch, the 4 man squad wordlessly sped through the hulking trees that surrounded Konoha, their outline blurring due to the speed. Kakashi was in front, Rin on the right, Obito on the left, and Minato in between, fulfilling their mission as escorts. At the fact that his team was not talking to him, Minato was feeling even more sad, but at that moment, Obito inched closer to him. "Sensei..are you really gonna go?" his signature, black Uchiha eyes innocently connecting with his own blue ones, Minato smiled softly.

"Yes, Obito. I am," the black haired boy's shoulder's drooped. "But I'll be back, at least not too long from now. I'll come and visit. I promise," Minato gave his most energetic student an determined look.

"While I'm gone, don't forget to train, and always remember me, okay?" Obito's eyes hardened, and his jaw set.

"Right!" Obito jumped back into his original spot in the formation. The burden on his heart lightening somewhat, Minato and his team kept a steady pace towards the meeting point. A minute after Obito left, Rin shyly came up to him.

"Sensei," she said, twiddling her fingers. "will you remember me?" Minato grinned. He reached out and rumpled Rin's brown hair.

"Of course! What kind of silly question is that? Now Rin, do your best in becoming a Medic-nin. Next time I see you you've better have some medical jutsu under your belt!" Rin blushed, her 9 year old face still containing a bit of baby fat. She was just adorable, Minato noted, but that will probably be different when he comes to visit later. Rin grabbed his hand and pressed something in his palm. She then quickly she ran back to her position, leaving a puzzled Minato. Blushing madly, Rin refused to look at Minato any longer for the duration of their run. Slightly confused, Minato raised his hand and glanced at whatever she had given him. His heart melted at the object; it was ointment, in a beautifully carved case. He clutched it tightly in his hand, and slipped it into his holster. It'll be of good use to him later on.

After Rin was done, Minato looked expectantly at Kakashi, who was ahead of him. However, just like the cold, meticulous ninja he was, Kakashi never relented and kept his eyes on the trees ahead. Minato lowered his eyes in a small smile. He hadn't been expecting much, but for him to actually live the experience, his emotions recoiled and hit him with the whiplash. A few minutes later, he had already surmised that Kakashi wasn't going to talk to him after all. But surprise hit him once more as Kakashi slowed down to Minato's pace.

"Sensei, I-I will be alone from now on, won't I?" Kakashi said, earning a smack in the head by his teacher. Minato scowled.

"Don't say things like that. You have teammates. You won't be lonely. Also, I know I'm not the only person in your world right?" Kakashi said nothing, preferring to just let the conversation slide. However, Minato wasn't just about to let their talk go. "Kakashi, I know that you've been having a difficult time ever since..Sakumo-san's death," Kakashi stiffened. He wasn't used to talking about his late father. "But Kakashi, please understand that there are other people out there who care for you. I know I've been the one to look out for you ever since your father passed away, but things can't go that way forever. Use this as a chance to get to know your teammates better. Alright?" Kakashi merely shook his head up and down. Almost instantly after that, he resumed his position on the formation. Minato's students attempted no more one-on-one talks with him, and they all silently made their way over the trees.

* * *

"**I'll be going now," **Matthew stood up from his spot on the wall. It had took the siblings all day yesterday to paint, decorate, and fill Minato's room. They had lugged into the once empty room the big, queen sized bed, and one by one carried the pillows, the covers, and the desk and chair to the room. While they were inside the house, remodeling the barren room, Naoki and Miki had both taken it up on themselves to go shopping. They came back late at night laden with clothes, shoes, socks, underclothing, and to all their children's cry of indignation, a brand new Ipod touch as well as a Droid. They were both giddy at the thought of having a new son, and was happily wrapping the gifts while they set Cassie, Matthew and Andrew to putting away all the clothes and other necessary items they had bought. Grumbling, the three siblings were forced to fold all the shirts and pants, and sort them into which ones would go in the walk-in closet, and which others would go in the drawers.

Their parents had bought so much, of different sizes, that by the time they finished with the grueling work, it was already 3 in the morning. Tired, they had all leaned against the wall and fallen asleep. Luckily for them, Matthew was very punctual, and had somehow miraculously woken up at 8:30, a whole 30 minutes before Minato's scheduled arrival. He had been tired though, and so relented from getting off the wall for about 3 minutes, but eventually his dutiful side got the better of him. As he stood up, he rubbed his eyes, and did not bother to change out of his clothes. He had slept in his jeans yesterday, and he didn't feel like changing. Groggily, Cassie and Andrew waved from their spots, immediately going back to sleep after Matthew left the room, very much resembling a zombie.

Heading down to his room, Matthew quickly washed his face, brushed his teeth, and ran a comb through his red hair. Then, in a moment's hesitation, he walked into his closet and pulled on a fresh shirt. He'll just take a shower once he got back. Grabbing his sword, Matthew poked his head through the kitchen, where his parents were eating breakfast. **"I'm going," **he simply stated, and Scott/Naoki looked over at him from his newspaper.

"**Come back soon," **he said, while Karen/Miki gushed brightly,

"**Yes, hurry back with your new brother! Oh I can't wait to see him!" **Giving his parents a mock salute, Matthew strode out the back door behind a tree, where he then cut himself an opening to pass through to the Ninja world. Running, he stifled a yawn. He secretly wished Minato knew how to keep the time, so that he could come back sooner and dive into his bed. Slowing down into a walk, Matthew/Temjin cut himself through the other side, walked over to a nicely sized boulder and waited.

Checking his watch, it was currently 8:52, so he just sat there and relaxed.

* * *

Minato peered at the map Sarutobi had given him. The meeting point was around here somewhere, but he couldn't find it. Kakashi glared holes to the piece of paper in front of him. He hated being useless. Five minutes ago, Minato had asked for his help, and to his bitter loss, he had failed to locate the area.

Obito had snickered, but had refrained from making snide remarks, due to the fact that this was the last they with their sensei. It was now 8:50, 10 minutes before the time, and Minato was beginning to feel panicked. He studied the map again. He was at the right spot, but he just couldn't find the mass of boulders that was supposed to be the symbol! "Just where are those piles of rocks?" he grunted, rubbing his blonde head in frustration. Rin, his only calm student, poked him in the side.

"Ano, sensei.." she tentatively spoke, a bit afraid of her agitated teacher and teammates.

"Yes?" Minato growled out, making the little girl flinch. "Oh sorry, didn't mean that..what was it you were going to say?" In answer, Rin pointed to the Northeast.

"Umm, aren't those the rocks that you were looking for?" she said, pointing at some rocks embedded to the ground. A few trees stuck up between them. It was almost as if the earth itself was made out of rocks. Minato stared at them for a few seconds, then sighed.

"No, they don't match the description.." but Rin grabbed his blue Jounin sleeve and pulled him closer to the rocks.

"That's not what I meant when I said 'rocks' sensei. Look down there!" To Minato's utter surprise, the rock floor cut off abruptly and led into a small cliff. The entire cliff was formed of giant rocks, and more humongous rocks dotted the ground. Stunned, Minato and Kakashi stared at the break off for a moment. Minato recovered first.

"Wow, you did find it! That was amazing Rin! Thank you," Dumbfounded that Rin was able to find it while he couldn't, Kakashi nodded lamely. Obito was just as shocked, only he managed to hide it by loudly saying,

"That's my lovely Rin-chan! I knew you'd be able to find it when that teme can't!" Kakashi glared.

"Dobe," he muttered before jumping down the cliff. Minato followed him, and Rin jumped down as well, following the example of her Kakashi-kun. Left behind, Obito gulped, put on his goggles, then jumped down as well.

"Hey, wait for me!"

* * *

Temjin was lying on one of the boulders when he distantly heard a, " 'hey, wait for me!' " from somewhere up the cliff. Getting up into a sitting position, he lifted his head just as a crazy, silver haired boy landed on the ground right in front of him. Before Temjin could ask him who he was, Minato landed beside the boy. Then a brown haired, cute little girl landed, then finally, a spunky, spiky black haired boy who was about the other childrens' age. Once they all were settled onto the ground, Temjin lifted himself off the rock and grinned. Minato also grinned. The three kids stared in confusion.

"Uh sensei? Is this guy supposed to be here?" Obito nudged Minato. Kakashi tensed, his hand flexing near his holster, and Rin deliberately shuffled a tad bit behind Minato. The blonde raised his hands.

"Woah, all three of you, calm down. This is a friend of mine, Uzumaki Temjin. And yes, Obito, he is supposed to be here," Temjin uncrossed his arms.

"Actually, Minato's a brother of mine," he corrected before walking up to the blonde and giving him a brief hug. Minato stiffened at the unfamiliar contact, but Temjin's grin simply widened. "Best get used to the hug Minato, cause that's how we'll all be greeting you from now on. Oh, and a word of advice: watch out for my mother when you walk through the door. She will most likely smother you," Quite astonished at the casual contact this foreign shinobi was displaying with their sensei, the three students only gaped. Minato only laughed. He was glad he had a chance to meet the siblings before today. Otherwise he'd be picking his jaw off the floor too. Turning around, Minato patted the nine year olds on the shoulder.

"Well, this is it guys. Be safe while I'm gone, and before I leave, let me say this: The most important thing to a ninja is teamwork. Obito, even if you disagree with Kakashi sometimes, instead of becoming brash and angry, try to see the intentions behind it. If you absolutely cannot follow along, then try to be reasonable and compromise. Kakashi, that goes for you too. Don't belittle Obito just because you are already a Chuunin and he isn't. Don't make remarks about his bloodline either, it takes more than just a family name to become a good ninja. Rin, you do your best at training and studying as a med-nin, and don't just always be neutral and try to stop these two from fighting. Voice your own opinion and stand up for what you believe in. If these two put you down in any way just let me know when I come back okay?" All of them nodded, Rin a bit teary.

"Come back soon sensei! I promise that when you're back I'll be even more of an awesome ninja!" Obito claimed, looking like he's about to cry. Kakashi only said quietly,

"..come back soon sensei," his face staring at the ground, Kakashi did not look up. Watching his genius student, Minato felt sad too, as he remembered when he first met the silver haired boy. The boy had been trembling in a corner of his house when Minato had gone to visit. Back then, Kakashi had only been six and despite being a Chuunin, he had been crying fiercely. Worried about Kakashi, Minato hoped that during his absence, Kakashi would learn to be more dependant on others. Temjin coughed.

"Well then, I suppose, we should get going,"

"Yeah," Minato replied, his eyes still lingering. Waving to his students, he said, "Don't get lost on the way home," Kakashi and Rin simply said yes, while Obito took this last image of his sensei to heart.

'lost..on the way home...' Obito thought as Temjin unsheathed his sword. All Konoha ninja was stupefied at the sight of Temjin opening a gap in space. Grabbing Minato by his arm, Temjin dragged the frozen Jounin across the worlds, as his team looked on flabbergasted.

* * *

After the initial shock from the 'crossing' was over, Minato once again gasped at the sight of the magnificent house in front of him. The sun had properly risen by now, and the light illuminated all the windows. The light, beige colored house with darker frames and elegant, mahogany double doors just dripped with prestige and prosperity. The Peony trees planted all around the yard and the house itself was beginning to bloom, and the trees were covered with beautiful, white/pink flowers. However, what baffled Minato the most was the strange, sleek looking contraptions stationed in the wide, space of the open...'garage.' Smirking, Temjin led Minato to the sleek doors and pushed one open. Pulling the blonde inside, Temjin called out loudly, "He's here!"

Instantly, the sound of scurrying feet greeted him, and a red haired, small, green eyed woman popped out from another hallway. Giving a tiny, 'oh!' she sprinted off toward Minato and caught the sputtering Jounin in a bear hug. She smelled of cinnamon and peppermint, and her glowing eyes looked very similar to another redhead he happened to know. Following closely on his wife's trail was a man, also with red hair, but with the sharp, keen eyes that Shinzou and Temjin both had. He looked to be about Sarutobi's age, and Minato automatically knew that this was the clan head, Uzumaki Naoki. Again, Minato was confounded as the man swept Minato up in a hard, welcoming hug. He was tall, even taller than Shinzou, and Minato would have found his gaze intimidating if it weren't for the friendly hug. The motherly woman he guessed to be Kushina's mother, and his assumption was proven true as the couple enthusiastically introduced themselves.

"Hello, Minato. I'm Uzumaki Miki, Temjin's mother. Oh, you don't know how happy I am right now! Welcome to our family!" Naoki grabbed him next, and gave him a wide smile.

"Welcome to our family Kiddo! I'm Uzumaki Naoki, Miki's husband and the leader of Clan Uzumaki. I have to say, I'm really glad you're here. I hope you'll think of me like a father, because I'll be thinking of you like my very own son," Minato could only reply,

"Umm, sure. You have a very nice house," Miki cut him off.

"It's yours now too! You live here now right? Now, are you hungry deary? Lets go get you something to eat while Temjin goes and wakes up Kushina and Shinzou. They stayed up till 3 last night decorating your room," embarrased, Minato scratched his head.

"Wow, they didn't have to do that, thank you, I'm really grateful," Naoki brushed it off.

"Don't worry. Now, what do you want to eat, porridge? Cereal? Waffles? Toast? or..would you like rice?" Minato shook his head.

"Uh, no, thank you. May I go see Kushina and Shinzou?" he politely asked. The couple shared a glance. Finally, Miki said,

"That's just fine. Hand me your backpack and we can go see them. After they're up and properly roused...we can talk."

Kushina was feeling sore. Sore all over. Almost like one of those days when she trained with her Master for 9 hours straight. When Minato had asked her about the family seal, he hadn't caught that Kushina, with her feet bare, was also one of the chosen ones to continue one of the sword techniques. She was the apprentice of the Zankenmaru-ryu, a style that is more dependant on sword ki rather than sword form. Dreaming about the training sessions she sometimes had with her Master, who lived in the Ninja world, she mumbled,

"unnnnn....Master...." she slowly opened her droopy eyes, looking up to the ceiling.....where they met a pair of blue eyes. "OHMYGOD!!!" she screamed, jumping up, startling Minato to the door. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?! OH NO, AM I STILL IN YOUR ROOM? THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A SURPRISE..." Kushina faded as she realized she was lying on the bed in her OWN room. When he had come home, Temjin had taken the chance to lift Kushina to her own bed while his parents fawned over Minato. He did the same for Shinzou, although instead of lifting him gracefully bridal style, he had grabbed his brother by his foot and dragged him to his room, not eve bothering to put him in bed. He then retired to his own room for a shower.

"Huh? I remember falling asleep in your room..." Kushina muttered, then looked up at the blonde.

"Hey Minato! You're here! Yay! I'm so happy!" with that Kushina lunged from the bed to the Jounin, and gave him a tight hug. Unknown to Kushina, Minato's heart beat very quickly when she made the contact, but before he could even begin to blush Kushina grabbed him by the hand and hauled him over to Shinzou's room. "Lets go wake up Andrew!"

"Huh? Who's An—what?!"

Kushina chirped, "Andrew is Shinzou! That's his English name. We'll have to give you one too!" She stopped outside a door nearest to the grand staircase. Instead of knocking, she burst right in, and nearly trod on Shinzou who happened to be sleeping on the blue carpet just before the door. He was snoring lightly, and Kushina spared him no second glance as she kicked him in the groin, hard. Minato winced at the screech Shinzou gave off. "Shinzou, Minato's here! He's here!" Shinzou groaned, then pried an eyelid open.

"**Oh, hi Minato. I'll be down soon," ** he said in English, making Minato cock his head in confusion.

Kushina stomped her foot on his stomach, Shinzou letting out a hoarse cry.

"Don't talk in English! You idiot!" Minato looked at Kushina incredulously.

"Don't you usually call him Onii-sama?" he asked, perplexed at the way she treated her brother.

"I only call him that when we're out of the house or when in Japanese company," she replied promptly.

Minato 'oh'ed. Inwardly he wondered what other eccentricities the family had. As Kushina continued to abuse her elder brother, he looked around Shinzou's bedroom. The carpet, the puffy things, and the bed, the walls were all monochromatic. In different varying shades of blue, the room gave off a refreshed feeling, not at all like the depressing mood a blue room could bring about. He knew this because when he had been to Kakashi's house, Kakashi's room had been blue, and it somehow gave off a very sad aura. 'Whoever designed the room must have been very tasteful,' Minato thought, as he took in the white shutters and the mahogany bookshelves. Peering into the bathroom connected to Shinzou's room, he saw that the walls had red stars on them in a separate tile. The entire bathroom had been done mosaic style, with gray, yellow, dull red, and black/white tile. The sink and the bathtub was of dark gray marble, and light came in through the window above the toilet. Minato didn't know yet that the stars were made to mimic the ones in Hollywood, and that they had the names of Shinzou's favorite artists on them, as well as his family's names. There was an empty star on the left of Kushina's name. That star had been left blank in case their parents decided to have another child. The house had been built when Kushina was very little, and Shinzou had been barely in Middle school. Later, in that empty spot, Minato's name would go there. As of now, all the names were in English, and Minato had no idea what they meant. He walked back out of the restroom.

Shinzou, now fully up, said, "Oi, Minato, lets go downstairs. Mom and Dad wants us. They say we have something to talk about," he motioned toward the door. Minato walked into the hallway, then followed Kushina and Shinzou down the staircase to the living room.

Smiling, Miki gestured toward the beige, armless, backless sofa in front of her. Between the two sofas, there was an elegant tea table made of glass and light brown wood. Minato sat down on the indicated sofa, while Shinzou went into the kitchen and Kushina sat on a chair in the corner of the living room.

Feeling nervous, Minato suddenly wished that Kushina or Temjin or even Shinzou was there sitting there with him. Smiling at the blonde boy, Naoki and Miki nodded to each other to start.

"Well, Minato, we just wanted to talk about what you need to know while staying here," Miki looked helpfully at her husband. Naoki smiled and motioned for her to continue. "You see, when in America, we have made it a rule to not use chakra," Minato's eyes widened. "Yes, I know you are shocked, but here in this world, people are ignorant of the existence of ninja. Actually, this is because we have no ninja in the first place. We Uzumaki may be considered a shinobi clan, but that is only in the Ninja world. Here, we are just seen as a regular, large family. So because of this, I must ask you to keep everything about ninjas and chakra as a secret," seeing understanding dawning upon the blonde, Miki went on. "Naturally, there will be no jutsus, no ninja weapons, no ninja gear, or whatsoever. The only time you will hold a weapon will be when you are practicing your kenjutsu in the basement or within the boundaries of our Uzumaki home. That includes all the Uzumaki family's houses in this area, so you don't have to worry about being seen with a sword when you walk into our driveway. However, I strongly advise you still remain careful,"

"I understand," Minato said. Naoki smiled kindly at the boy. He spoke,

"That's good. However, you are not just restricted to the concept of 'ninja,' but you are also forbidden to fight or pick any fights. If you do that, I assure you our society will not look at that kindly. We are very technologically advanced here, and so we have developed a system that is very different from the Ninja system back in the Ninja world. Fighting is frowned upon, and the only time you will fight will be either for self defense if you are attacked, or during spars in our basement. Alright?" again, Minato nodded.

"That's pretty much it for the rules...now for what you will be learning here," Miki took over from her husband. Crinkling her eyes, she said, "I hope you are ready for what is coming to you Minato. To catch up to Kushina and the others, you will have to cover eight years of work in four months, as right now it is the middle of April, and Kushina will be graduating from middle school in June. After that, you will start high school with her in September. In that time, you will have to learn to read, write, and speak English. Then, you will have to take some extra lessons in advanced math, science, and of course, you will have to learn history all the way from the beginning. I heard from Sarutobi-san that you are a genius and a hard worker. He also said that you like books, so maybe this won't be so hard for you," Miki beamed. Minato himself wasn't too worried. He liked books. How hard could the subjects be? Then Naoki's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"The physical part of your education here will have to be put off until you are completely fluent in English. To make sure you fit in, we'll even have Shinzou teach you some slang words!" from the kitchen, Shinzou let out a whistle. Naoki and Miki looked determined. "To make this easier for you, I'll pull some strings for you to be in all the classes Kushina will be in. However, this will be difficult as Kushina is in honors classes all the way. So if you want to be in English Honors like her, you'll have to write an essay that will hopefully pass the test, and you will have to be more than competent in reading and critical thinking. This will be a near impossible push for most people, but I firmly believe that my new son has the brains and the guts to do it! Are you up for it Minato?" The said blonde gulped, but sat up straighter.

"Yes, I am willing to study my butt off!" he said, forming fists. He was quite excited. He was always one for new knowledge. And like they said, knowledge is power, so no harm done to not train for a few months. Right now the priority is to get the language barrier out of the way, and for some reason, Minato felt more than willing to get into all the same classes with Kushina. He'll really have to work his butt off. Encouraged that Minato looked ready for all the challenges, Naoki continued his list of things for Minato to learn.

"Minato, Sarutobi has told you the type of clan we are right?" Minato looked confused.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I mean, have you heard that we are very musical?" Naoki queried. Minato's face brightened in recognition.

"Oh yeah, he said you were the great connoisseurs of the arts, that you all sing and dance very well,"

Miki and Naoki shared a happy look. "He said that? We're flattered," Miki said, her hand clasping over her heart. Naoki cleared his throat.

"Well, in that sense, members of the clan all play an instrument. And so.. you shall be playing an instrument as well. Do you have any particulars in mind?" Minato shook his head. He never even heard about musical instruments. Kushina piped up.

"Hey, how about he play violin? Since we'll be in the same grade and class, I can help him with that the most!" Acknowledging the logic, Naoki looked at Minato.

"So, how about it? Would you like to play a violin?" On the other hand, Minato had no idea what a violin was, and couldn't answer. Shinzou came charging into the living room.

"Hey! He should play cello like me! It's the best out there!" Miki frowned.

"I think Minato should stick with me and play Piano," she threw in her own argument.

"Well I think he should play bass, like me," said, Temjin as he came down the stairs, his hair wet.

"Why don't we let Minato make the decision?" Kushina loudly implored, knocking down everyone.

Minato's new family looked at Minato pointedly.

"so, which one Minato?" Miki asked sweetly. As for the blonde, he had no idea what these instruments were, but he sort of wanted to stick with Kushina...so...

"I think I'll play the Violin, if that's all right with you guys," he replied tentatively, unsure of their reaction. Kushina whooped. Everyone else drooped. Miki cried loudly,

"Either way, I still get to keep him for a month! Teaching him the basics and all that!" no one argued with her. Even if they all played different instruments, they still knew how to play Piano as a basic reaquirement. Miki grinned triumphantly. Then, clapping her hands together, she said,

"Oh yes! Did you show Minato his room? Go give him a tour of the house!" with that, she grabbed Minato's arm and gently pushed him towards the stairs. Everyone else agreeing profusely, the three siblings each took a hold of Minato's clothes and dragged him over to the grand staircase.

"I hope you like it Minato! We all took a long time decorating.. and we have a surprise for you!" they each cried joyfully. But for Minato, who had seen the eccentricities of the Uzumaki family, he somehow got a shivery feeling when they said, "Surprise."

* * *

Hi. Sorry, I think this one is more bumpy than the rest. I'll fix it later. Right now I'm just trying to meet my deadline of 11:59 PM.

-Hulkishpower


	6. New life: Getting Used to Things

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

Cassie=Kushina

Matthew=Temjin

Andrew=Shinzou

Scott=Naoki

Karen= Miki

**English**

_**Korean**_

Japanese

UPDATED: 1/1/10. HAPPY NEW YEAR! SORRY ABOUT NOT UPDATING YESTERDAY, I WENT TO A HAIR SALON TO START OFF THE YEAR WITH A NEW LOOK, BUT GOT A SEVERE HEADACHE AFTER STAYING IN THERE FOR TWO HOURS AND A HALF. I THINK THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO CAN EMPATHIZE WITH HOW I FELT YESTERDAY.

* * *

The bright sun filtered through the half open white shutters that covered the four wide windows in Minato's room.

Facing east, the windows let in the rising sun, and cast shadows across the blonde's face, who was sleeping in his queen sized bed with lemon colored accomodations, picked out by the courtesy of his new brothers and sister. They had also taken the liberty to paint his entire walls soft yellow and beige, and despite what people might think as a feminine coloring, the room actually looked pretty nice. Other than yellow, dark solid brown accentuated the room; the bedstead, desk, chair, and bookshelf all of them the same dark, high quality wood.  
The bookshelves were already filled with the books that he had brought: books on sealing, wind techniques, the concept of chakra, and his personal scrolls. However, the majority of the shelves were filled with English books that Kushina and the brothers said that he had to read. He didn't know how to read any of the titles yet, but Kushina said that they were mainly the works of Jane Austin, Shakespeare, Sir Conan Doyle, and some other classics he'll have to read by the end of summer.

His head spun at all the books on the large shelf. The shelf took up an entire wall, holding more than a couple hundred books. They also held some dvds, photo albums, and plushies. He had been stunned at the plushies, he had never thought he'd ever have any, especially because of his position as a ninja. Either way, he had smiled at the cute things, even if he'd never go to sleep with any of them. The carpet in his room was also beige. That put him off a bit, as he'd have to worry about not spilling anything on the floor. However, everyone assured him that the stain would come off easily, and they didn't mind if he did spill anything in the first place. They were very free minded about it, but Minato later learned that it was because Shinzou had burned a hole in his carpet when he was young, and his parents had to grow around it. He was very pleasantly surprised when he saw that his walk in closet was filled with clothes, and his drawers were also filled with stuff.

"Oh, Minato honey," Miki-san....er, _mom, _as she had insisted he call her, had said, "Minato, you'd have to wear these clothes from now on. We hope we got you the right sizes. Please make me happy by wearing these and not the clothes you've brought!!" and so he'd decided to placate her by not unsealing his scroll full of clothes. Thanks to that, he didn't have to unpack pretty much anything. But other than all this, what surprised him the most was the "surprise" his siblings had promised for him the night before. That "surprise" happened to be a brand new pair of Puffies, which now rested under the windows. The moment went on like this:

He had been busy exploring his room and thanking his new family profusely, when his siblings and stealthily approached him from behind. "Miiiinattooo~," Shinzou, and Kushina called out mysteriously.

"We have a surprise~!" Temjin was close behind them, his arms crossed, his face in the usual calm expression. He was part of the secret as well, but he simply did not wish to take part in saying the coy words. Minato turned around, his face jubilant and lighted from the magnificent room. He smiled widely at his siblings. Then he went up to them and said,

"Thanks for everything guys, this room is just awesome. I didn't think yellow was such a cool color before today!" each redhead beamed at this. Then, Minato noticed that Kushina and Shinzou were both holding something behind their backs. "What's that?" he asked. As if they were waiting for the question, Shinzou and Kushina each pulled out a near blinding, violently pink puffy.

"Look Minato, WE GOT YOU THESE! And they are PINK!! ISN'T IT GREAT?" Grinning, beaming, smiling, giggling madly, the 3 siblings looked so content that Minato could not bring himself to say anything about the Puffies.

"Um," he choked out, his eyes glued to the bright color, "Wow, uh, thanks! That's....that's just lovely..." fueled by his comment, Kushina and Shinzou whooped and pressed both puffies into his arms, nearly pushing Minato off his feet, as just one puffy was big enough so that Shinzou could hardly put his arms around it.

"we thought that you'd like it!" Kushina said brightly. Temjin showed his pleasure by curling the corners of his lips upwards. Shinzou snickered, his face contorted in laughter. Naoki and Miki gripped each others hands in ecstasy. Minato was no doubt happy, and grateful, but the pink stunned him into oblivion. Anyway, he knew better than to say anything...maybe he'd grow into the Puffies. No matter what color they were, they were still very comfortable.

After that, they had all left to let him freshen up, and he had taken the opportunity to explore his bathroom, which was of gray marble and the walls in a dinosaur, mosaic pattern. He marveled at everything, and was extremely grateful to all those who had taken the time to prepare this for him.

After a quick shower, Minato threw on some of the things that Miki had gotten him. All the clothes were expensive looking and was made of good material. He saw many bluish, grayish, blackish pants that seemed to be made out of some tough cloth that would wear well. He wondered what it was, but ended up choosing a light, easy to move in baggy shorts that was made of some double layered holey material.

Later he had asked Kushina what they were, and she had said they were for when you exercise and strenuous things like that. She said she had P.E shorts made of the same cloth. He was facinated. In the ninja world, he hadn't even heard about useful items like these! If such pants were introduced to the ninja, it would be a great benefit!

This plus the computer in his room; he had seen computers before, but the one in his room was way different than any other he had come across. This computer had a wide, sleek black monitor, but what shocked him most was that it was barely 3 inches thin. It stood proudly on a separate desk near his bookshelf. Minato had made a mental note to ask Kushina how to use that monster.

Only the special technicians of Konoha that decoded codes and the interrogation department/anbu used computers in Konoha. He'd definitely look really cool using one of those! Miki-san had looked very pleased that he was wearing the clothes she'd gotten him. Then, they'd all gone on a tour of the house. He had to admit, it was pretty impressive, the sheer size of the mansion, and the beautiful interior decorating within the walls.

After they had finished the tour, they had eaten lunch, Minato having to get used to Italian food, and was joined by Saishu, Naoki's younger brother. He lived a block away from them, and had a slightly smaller house than Naoki. Apparently, in the gated community of Bradbury, there were no normal sized apartments around. Saishu had greeted him warmly, giving him a swift hug. He promised to bring over his son later for Minato to meet. The rest of the day was filled with surprise attacks from both Kushina and Shinzou, of both whom had taken the liberty to secretly fill 5 buckets full of ice and water balloons. When Minato had been touring the garden/yard, Shinzou snuck up on him and shoved a piece of ice down his shirt, Kushina following soon after by pelting him with water balloons. Temjin joined him, and Minato was dripping wet by the time it was for dinner.

They had all trooped in, drenched, then listened to an 10 minute lecture from Miki about how unmannerly it was to attack someone who had just arrived from a journey, then how unmannerly it was to walk into the house, splashing water everywhere, and lastly how unmannerly it was for them to leave water balloon scraps all over the lawn.

Therefore, after they were all changed and dry, they went back outside and cleaned up the torn pieces of colorful rubber. For Minato, it had been really fun, as he never had played that way before, not having to keep up his guard and all. It was still a bit disconcerting that there was NO DANGER of being attacked by foreign ninja here, though there was the danger of being jumped by Kushina and Shinzou. Eating a quick, light dinner, they all went to sleep early, leaving Minato alone in his room. Minato had brushed his teeth, changed into some fluffy pajamas that were in his drawer, and fell on his bed. He drifted off to sleep, breathing peacefully, and so would the rest of the night progressed if he had not heard the quiet taps on his door.

Minato grinned as he pictured the events from last night. The bright sun had been too much for him to handle, being the light sleeper he was, and had forced him to get up even before his alarm rang. He'd have to remember to close his shutters all the way tonight. He laughed softly as he recalled what happened last night when he heard the taps on his door. It had been around 9:00 PM, and it was dark, not even the moon was out.

* * *

-flashback-

Minato opened the door. Just outside was a hunching Shinzou, who 'Shh!"ed. Pulling down the surprised blonde by his hand, Shinzou quickly looked around him, to make sure no one was watching. Becoming more and more amused at the situation, Minato tried to speak in a normal voice.

"Excuse me Shinzou, but---" Shinzou slapped a hand over his mouth. Then, looking this way and that, he pulled out a wrapped package about a foot long and about five inches wide across. His eyes darting everywhere, Shinzou wordlessly pressed the package into a bemused Minato's hand. He then whispered, "it's a homecoming present!" let go of Minato's hand, and silently closed the door shut. Minato stood there for a moment, laughter racking throughout his body, and slowly made his way over to his bed. Turning on the lamp next to him, he unwrapped the package to find a brand new pair of Converse with squiggly designs all over it. Inside one of the shoes was a note hastily scribbled in Japanese,

"This is a shoe from a really popular brand called Converse. It's not cheap, so wear it nicely!! Oh, and this is a secret, okay?"

Grabbing his stomach, Minato tried to suffocate the laughs that came from his frame, but had to press his face to the bed in order to cover up the sound. He mentally thanked Shinzou. The shoes were really cool. They were unlike anything he had ever seen; the ninja sandals that he always wore and the civilian shoes that he had seen amongst the villagers resembled nothing like the shoes in his hands. These had laces, and was made of cloth and rubber. It also had designed on them, which was very "hip" in his mind. His first impression of Shinzou as a creepy guy slipped away, and he sincerely thanked his new brother for his thoughtfulness. Minato's initial fears about how he'd have to behave in America was washed away, as his new family lavished him with all sorts of familial love. He made it a point to thank Shinzou properly the next day. Turning off the lamp, he set his new shoes by his bed and went to sleep.

About 20 minutes later, Minato again woke up, the knocking on his door insistent. Wondering who it was now, or if Shinzou had come back, he turned on his lights and opened the door. Who was outside the door threw him off completely. It was Naoki, looking very flushed, in a bathrobe an fluffy PJ pants, his sleeping ensemble complete with excessively furry, rabbit slippers. His image of the man as a stern, dignified clan leader slipped somewhat due to the clothes. But then, Naoki had shown that he was just more than a qualified leader when he had greeted Minato in the morning. He had shown that he was also a loving father and that he wasn't afraid to show off his affection for his family. Clearly expressing that he was feeling awkward, the middle aged man glanced around, as his son had done, and quickly handed Minato a small package. He clapped Minato on the back and hurriedly left. Bewildered, and just as amused as before, Minato hastily shout/whispered a "THANK YOU!" down the dark hallway as

Uzumaki Naoki twittered away, amazingly light on his feet.

Closing the door and unwrapping his gift, Minato found another note, and it said "Ask Kushina or your brothers how to use it. I hope you like the gift." Inside the small box, there was a thin, sleek piece of metal and plastic. It had strange symbols and carvings, and he jumped as something he pressed made a beeping sound. Nevertheless, Minato thought that the object looked and felt expensive, if not important. He set it carefully on top of his desk, thanked Naoki again in his head, and was about to turn off the lights, when he heard another person tapping on the door.

Expectant now, Minato was not at all surprised to see Miki outside his door. She was smiling kindly, and unlike her predecessors, she did not look over her shoulder as if she was afraid of being seen. She spoke, in a warm, motherly voice, "This is a welcome home gift Minato, use it well. But don't use it too often or listen to it too loud, or you'll damage your ears, alright?" she handed him a plain plastic case with no wrapping.

Inside, Minato could see a slick, black shiny item that had white, identical pieces with it attached to its end by a long, white wire. He could tell that it was significant, and that it would play a big role in his new life as a teen. He smiled in response, then, hesitating, reached out an gave her a hug. Miki gasped. "Thank you, Miki-san," Minato softly said. Even if he hadn't got to that point of calling her 'mom,' yet, it was still a big leap. Miki was ecstatic as she headed back to her room.

After Miki, Minato received more gifts from Temjin and Kushina. Temjin gave him a large piece of shining, blackish brownish resin. It was half the size of his palm and it was wrapped in a soft, cloth. Temjin explained that it would come in handy when Minato would start playing the violin. He also said that the cloth could be used to clean delicate things, like glasses or his instrument. Receiving a thank you, Temjin had silently waved a 'no problem,' then went back to his room.

Kushina, on the other hand, had given him some sort of rubbery, black length of a rolled up cloth like thing. She said that it would help him when he started learning Kenjutsu and eventually, Tennis. She had also given him a long hug, and that had reddened Minato quite a bit. Waving good night, Kushina pranced off to her room, and Minato fell back on his head with his heart beating at 100 miles per hour. Dazedly setting her present on his desk, he lay down, and went to sleep, his last thoughts lingering on Kushina's heat when she had hugged him.

-end flashback-

* * *

Minato rubbed at his forehead as he finished up his thoughts from last night. Turning his head, he saw that his presents were still left on the desk where he had last left them. He grinned at all of them. Getting up, he took a quick shower, dressed in some fresh clothes, and headed down stairs.

"Good Morning, Minato!" Miki greeted him.

"Good Morning, Miki-san, Naoki-san, thank you for yesterday," Minato replied, scratching his head.

"I really liked them, even if I don't know how to use them yet,"

Miki shook her head."That will be easily remedied once you start studying today. Now, speaking of which, you will be starting your lessons, and you will need a good breakfast! Here, grab some eggs honey," and she piled eggs, sausages, and toast on his plate.

Naoki poured him a giant glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.

Minato murmured his thanks and began eating.

Within the next five minutes, Kushina came bounding into the kitchen, calling out "Good Morning!" to everyone. She too sat down with a plateful of food and began munching. Temjin and Shinzou appeared soon after her.

Outside, the grass sparkled with the drops of dew, and the birds chirped with the gale of a new day. With the sunlight glinting on the glass panes of the kitchen door, Minato couldn't help but think,

'It's a beautiful morning,'

* * *

Minato sat down on the middle desk out of the many desks in the study room next to Kushina's room. It had a whiteboard covering an entire wall, and there was a teacher's desk in the corner as well as an overhead projector. Mainly giddy and excited to learn, Minato had been looking bright and enthusiastic, until his first teacher, Shinzou, came in through the door, carrying seven textbooks in his hands.  
He lugged them over to the nearest desk with difficulty. They had been quite heavy and his arms hurt. Measuring the pile of books with his eyes, Minato swallowed nervously. Shinzou walked forward, grabbed a pointer, and banged it on the wall, creating an explosive sound. Minato jumped in his seat, and faced forwards. Shinzou chuckled evilly. 'This is gonna be soo much fun,' he thought.

"So, lets see how much you have learned in the ninja academy, and so on after you've left," Shinzou stated.

Handing Minato book by book, he had Minato stop at the point where things got puzzling. Looking over the books, Minato easily brushed by the elementary arithmetic. Then he delved into more intermediate concepts. He couldn't really comprehend Pre- algebra or Algebra, but he was able to get by fine in Geometry and Trigonometry. Shinzou realized that Algebra was the main thing he should focus on. Seeing how Kushina was going into Honors Algebra 2 in September, as a freshman no less, this will be a lot to cover.

By the time Shinzou was done explaining the basic concepts of Algebra, Minato's head was spinning like a top. Oh he understood it, it was like a minor version of sealing, with all those calculations and letters, but he'd have a better grasp of the subject once he learned English, for Shinzou couldn't find the right words to explain the mathematical terms. As he had learned all those things in English, AND all the variables were in English, he'd better pay much attention to his next class, which was English.

For English, all three of his siblings taught. Temjin was the best at literature, Shinzou the best at essays, (mainly due to his age and the fact that he's in college). Kushina would just be teaching him all the miscellaneous, like the alphabet, how to pronounce words, sentence context and syntax. Kushina wrote down all the letters of the alphabet, and ordered him to memorize it. "Minato, you'll have to learn all these letters. They're sort of like the hiragana and the katakana, but to form a proper sounding word, you must put the consonants and the vowels together. Like this!" she spelled '**BOY**' on the whiteboard.

**B** is a consonant, and **Y** is also a consonant. But in the middle is the **O**, which is a vowel. Therefore, if you put all the sounds together, it becomes, **BOY**. In Japanese, it means shounen (boy). Understand?" Minato narrowed his eyes, nodding. The alphabet plus the equation he learned in math today made sense. It was all very interesting. Temjin spoke up.

"Come to think of it, we still haven't given Minato an English name, haven't we?" Puzzled, Minato looked up.

"Huh? What do you mean, English name?" he asked. "I already have a name, so why do I need another one? Is it like an alias?"

"Uh, no. An English name is a name that you go by here in America. So that people know who you are. It's like your Japanese name, and some people do just use their Japanese name as their English name, but since all of our family members have different names, we should think about giving you one too," Shinzou fluidly resolved, leaning against the wall.

"Remember about how I said that Shinzou's **Andrew**?" Kushina piped up, "well that goes for me too. I'm Kushina, but I'm also **Cassie**. It's short for **Cassandra!"**

Temjin said, "My name is Uzumaki Temjin, but I here, I am called **Matthew Uzumaki**. It's not that we are going undercover, but it's just a name to address us as American citizens. Our Japanese names are simply given to us so that we can connect better with the Japanese. We also have Korean names, though that part is merely given to us in order to embrace our Korean heritage. In truth, our American names our the ones we are most familiar with. We just made it a point to call ourselves by our Japanese names because we thought it would be easier for you," Temjin finished, leaving Minato to mull it over quietly.

"So, you want to give me an English name?" Minato concluded. His siblings said yes.

"How about....**Arthur**?" Shinzou joked.

"Are you kidding? I say **Alex**," Temjin insisted.

"NO, how about **Eddie**?" Shinzou tried again.

"Nope. If not **Alex** then **Stephen**," Temjin cut him off.

"Uhh, **Kent?**"

"**Idiot! That's a town in Europe! Why would you want to name your brother after a no name town?"**

"**If you got a problem with it because it's not famous, we might as well name him Paris!" **their small talk digressing into a full blown quarrel in English, Shinzou and Temjin continued arguing. Meanwhile, Kushina stood to the side, thinking hard. Minato just looked on, gaping, as he didn't really understand anything that these two were arguing about.

"**Paris?? Now you want to name him after some city in France?"**

"**It's not just a city in France!" **Andrew countered stubbornly,** "It's also the name of the Prince of Troy!"**

"**(snort) Yeah! The one that got abandoned by his parents and then later DIED. What a great name," **Matthew retorted.

"**Don't be sarcastic, I was only trying to come up with a good name! How about Joseph?"**

"**We already have a Joseph in our family! Don't you remember? Our cousin!"**

"**Oh yeah, right...Ollie?"**

"**Eww!"**

"**Obadiah!"**

"**Jewish!"(annoyed)**

"**Alright, alright! But I don't think any of the names you're coming up with are any better!"**

"**Better than yours!"**

"**Yeah right! The ones that you're coming up with are too generic! Too common!"**

"**Well yours are too UNCOMMON!"**

"**You know what?! He can just be Andrew Jr! There, problem solved!"**

"**Noo, he should be Matthew Jr! Or if not Scott Jr. Why should he be YOUR junior?"**

"**WILL THE TWO OF YOU JUST SHUT UP????" **Kushina's booming voice startled everyone in the room. She had been quiet the entire time when Shinzou and Temjin had been fighting. Glaring at her two immature brothers, she sat down on one of the desks. She looked at Minato imploringly.

"I think we should call Minato.....**Kenneth**." she supplied, making eye contact with the blonde.

"**Kenneth?"** Minato repeated, rather liking the sound of the name. Shinzou and Temjin looked contemplative.

"Well that's...not too bad I guess," Temjin said.

"Hmmm, Kenneth...what's the meaning?" asked Shinzou.

Kushina gestured to the computer in the room.

"It mean handsome," she replied tartly, breaking off her gaze. She focused intently on the window now, staring at it like it was the most interesting thing in the world. If anyone else had looked closely, they would have seen that her face was slightly flushed.

Minato's own face turned beet red at her words. He stared at the side of Kushina's face. 'she really didn't mean..?'

"I think that's perfect," Temjin broke the silence. "It's a good name. How do you like it Minato? Better than _Paris_, at least?" (Shinzou yelled, "hey!")

"I..like the sound. It sounds nice. I think I like it. I'll be..Kenneth," Minato grinned. Shinzou grumbled.

"Well, I guess it does suit you," then an enlightened look came onto his devious face. "Hey! Has anyone realized that Minato practically does everything Kushina says to do? Like the violin, and all that? Now his name! Whooohoo~ who thinks we have something going on here?"

Minato turned redder, but Kushina just said, "Who thinks he should shut up??"

Temjin raised his hand. "I do," thoroughly stumping their eldest brother, Temjin and Kushina took the newly christened 'Kenneth' by the hand and led him to the door.

"Come on, let's go tell mom and dad."

* * *

HI. This is hulkishpower. The usual stuff. I am so totally behind my outline now. I may be able to update _maybe one more chapter after this. _Then I might not update nearly every day like I am right now. Most likely, I'll update like, once a week, or maybe less. But I'll be sure to at least get in a chapter per month. Please continue to read my fanfic. It needs more criticism :D.

Thank you.


	7. Music & Pain, the Killer Combo

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

UPDATED: 1/3/10

Japanese

**English**

_**Korean**_

I think you know all the names by now, but here they are:

Cassie=Kushina

Kenneth=Minato

Andrew=Shinzou

Matthew=Temjin

Scott=Naoki

Karen=Miki

John=Saishu

* * *

The hot water running in the shower of the dinosaur bathroom eased some of the pain from Minato's _aching_ fingers. The steam fogged up the mirrors and the glass, and on top of the condensation on the shower door, Minato painfully traced the equation for the distance formula. d ... = ... "ugh!"

He winced as the grueling pain from just below his knuckles shot through his hand. Gripping it with the other, less fatigued left hand, he carefully turned off the water and dried himself off. Trying to use his right hand as little as possible, he slowly dressed in his light blue shirt and gray pants. Cradling his hand in his left one, Minato walked up to his bed and lay down. His head was spinning like crazy. He had learned so much stuff in one day, it took all of his wits to not puke and faint. Even now, it felt like algebraic equations were tap dancing in his head, and Minato wildly wondered just how in the world Shinzou could manage to major in that hateful subject.

Sure, he liked that it improved his critical thinking and explained more about the world, but he really wondered just why he'd need to know this subject in order to survive. He'd only known a bit of practical Geometry and Trigonometry, and that had helped him enough on the battlefield. Who even came up with the stupid subject anyway? In the academy, he'd always been eager to learn whatever subject. He still was, to an extent. But covering 5 chapters in a DAY was just too much. Shinzou had made him work his hand to near paralysis. Temjin was of no help either, as he set Minato to reading and copying down important passages from a few books they read, and made him analyze the text. For goodness' sake, he BARELY EVEN LEARNED E N G L I S H!

Kushina had sympathetically had come up to him and helped him pronounce some of the words in the books. She had been the most helpful, and according to him, the most thoughtful and kind, as she had generously walked him through the entire process of writing an analytical summary from the paragraph he had to read. Not only that, but the mechanical pencil they had given him had felt weird and wrong to his fingers. He thought it was pretty convenient, but until he got more used to it, he'd prefer just plain wood pencils. Rubbing his face tiredly, Minato looked at the clock to his left; it read 7:42 PM. He'd been literally writing nonstop since breakfast, which was at seven. Twelve hours! He was so tired.

After dinner at six, he had retired to the comfort of his room. For today, he hoped that there will be no more situations where he'll have to use his hands. 'Well, since we already finished all the stuff that we were supposed to do today, I don't think they'll come for me anymore, which means I have the rest of the evening to myself!'

He couldn't be more wrong.

"Kenneth! Come down here please!" Called Miki. Standing at the base of the staircase, she cupped her hands to reach the blonde boy. Hearing Miki call for him, Minato stumbled to the top of the stairs.

"What is it, Miki-san?" he asked. Kushina, Shinzou, and Temjin, who were reclining in the sofa in the living room downstairs, shot him a piercing look. Jolting, Minato remembered the promise they'd forced him to make earlier that day.

* * *

-Flashback-

"From now on, to help your English, and to get used to your new name, we'll call you Kenneth only, and you'll call us by our English names. Alright?" the three redheads glared at him.

"Sure..." Minato had responded, a bit fazed at their piercing glares.

-End Flashback-

* * *

"Umm, I mean mom, what do you need me for?" Minato hastily corrected himself. The siblings had demanded that he call their parents mom and dad, but never by their English names.

"It's an insult," Kushina-er...Cassie...- had explained. "We don't call the people who take care of us and love us by their names. Instead we address them the way they deserve to be addressed,"

"Well honey, we need to pick our your Violin of course! Hurry and come down, so that we can get you a Violin your size!" mom called out excitedly.

"He's probably full size, like me," said Cassie. She was sitting comfortably in her spot. Leaning backwards, she yawned. Climbing down, Minato cocked his head. Violins have sizes? He still had much to learn...

"Oh yeah! Hey Andrew, can you help me with this?" Minato/Kenneth pulled out the ipod from his pocket. He had been waiting for the chance to ask people about it, but he never got any. Now grasping the opportunity, he handed Andrew the object.

"Hey, this is the ipod touch! So Mom gave it to you?" Kenneth nodded. "Well for starters, this is a music player. You can put songs and videos and stuff like that on this thing, and then play it. You listen to it by putting these earphones into your ears. Get it?" facinated, Kenneth took his ipod back.

"How do you put in the music though?" he asked.

"Oh, I'll show you how to do that later with your computer," Kenneth nearly choked with happiness. Finally he was going to use the computer!

"Well enough chit chat for now, follow along Kenneth," said Scott. Motioning with his hand, he walked to the hallway beneath the staircase and from so forth, to a large storage room that Kenneth had been to. Reaching out and opening the door, the clan leader gestured for everyone to go inside, following after the last person, closing the door behind him. Then, looking over the large room, he walked to another room in the corner of the storage, this one much smaller. Once inside, he turned on a couple of lights.

When the lights turned on and illuminated the small space, it revealed the stacks of instrument cases that cluttered the floor in various sizes and shapes. Some cases were made of cloth and leather, but others were made of plastic and metal. Kenneth looked around at all the instruments, wondering which one would be his. Scott shuffled over to one of the rectangular, cloth cases. They were mostly back, with straps, but some were light brown with darker trimming. Others were gray, or maybe it had been white. He couldn't tell. Bending down to pick up one of the cases, Scott stared at the label that hung from the handle. It read something in German, and obviously, Kenneth couldn't read it. Scott frowned.

"Hmm, maybe it isn't really worth it to give Kenneth a quality violin just as he's starting. Better to start off with a mediocre one, then move up to a better one as he advances," putting the case down, Scott walked over to the other side of the room, where several other cases were lying on the cold, concrete floor. They looked to be about the same size as the cloth cases, but these happened to be made out of metal and plastic, and they were rusted on the iron trimmings. Dust perched thickly on the knobbly surface of the case. Scott scooted a few away to lift one off the floor. He read the label, then smirked.

"Alright, here's a full size, five hundred dollar violin. Let's see how you do with this one," Sliding the case open, he examined the smooth, honey colored wood and the fine, light texture of the bow. Under the dim light, the violin emitted a pearly glow, one that seemed unnatural. Although he couldn't see that well, Kenneth assumed it was because the Violin was not of great value and therefore had some chemical substances put onto its surface to give it that glossy sheen. He was right, as Scott handed him the violin, and felt the abnormally smooth wood.

"Now hold out your left arm, like this," Scott demonstrated, holding his arm out like he was playing an imaginary violin. Kenneth complied.

"Good, now don't move so I can position the violin on you, and see if it fits," Scott took the violin from Kenneth, and with great caution, carefully measured the length of Kenneth's arm along the instrument. Feeling satisfied, he gently lowered the violin and placed it lightly into its case, snapping it shut. Smiling, he placed the rusting case into Kenneth's hands. Unsure of what's happening, Kenneth just accepted the case with gratitude.

"So that will be the violin you'll be using till you get good at playing. Then we'll give you a really good one!" Cassie said brilliantly, clapping him on the back. "Let's go outside, our violin teacher's going to come in about 10 minutes. This took a while to sink in.

"Violin teacher? you mean I'm not going to be learning this from you guys?"

"As if! I'm not good enough to teach anyone!" Cassie snorted. "People who teach instruments usually are real pros who actually devote their entire lives to music! They are willing to even live a career that involves music, so when they go to college, they choose to major in the arts!" Kenneth 'wow'ed.

"That's cool. They must really appreciate music," he said. Everyone grinned at this.

"You know, we Uzumaki love and appreciate music just as much as anyone. Or maybe even more. There are quite a few in our family who have chosen to lead a life to keep on with their instruments. Or in some cases, their voices. We don't just play an instrument, we sing too," said Andrew.

"Why don't we all go to the living room? We should get ready for Kenneth's lesson," Karen suggested. Everyone filed out back into the front of the house. "Ready for your first lesson?" Karen eye-smiled.

Kenneth gulped. No one had told him about this...he thought he was done for the day!

"I'm very nervous right now. I didn't even know I was supposed to have a lesson today," he gushed, his grip on the case tightening. Karen frowned. She then turned her narrowed gaze at her innocently cuddled up redheads.

"You didn't tell him?" she frightfully glared at them. Shriveling, Andrew raised his hand.

"Uh, sorry, but we were having so much fun _educating_ him, that we sorta kinda forgot...yeah," his siblings nodded enthusiastically. Their hair bobbing up and down. Karen sighed. Scott laughed. He came up to the blonde holding a black, standard orchestra stand.

"Here you go. The teacher doesn't speak any Japanese, but you learned some English today right? Hopefully that will clear some confusions then Karen and I can translate the rest," Kenneth's jaw tightened. He sincerely hoped that the little amount of conversing in English he had done with the redheads today will be sufficient enough to help him at least get through his first lesson.

"Oh, and I forgot to mention this, but Kenneth, you will be having two lessons per week until you are at least halfway up to Cassie's level. Then we'll lower you to one lesson per week, like Cassie. Okay?" Kenneth nodded. "The rest of you go upstairs now, the teacher will be here any moment. Cassie, don't forget that your lesson is right after Kenneth's," Karen said, shooing her children up the grand staircase. Though a bit rebellious, the siblings eventually went to their respective bedrooms, to either read a book, go on computer, or in Cassie's case, pull out her violin. She began to practice, fervently wishing that her teacher wouldn't notice that she hasn't practiced in about three days.

The bell rang. Karen rushed forth to greet the teacher who stepped in and politely greeted her back in smooth English. Kenneth could make out the basic greetings. "**Hello, Mrs. Uzumaki. How are you doing? Yes, I'm doing fine, thank you. Am I starting with my new student first, from now on? I see,"** Theresa, the violin instructor, gazed up to look at Kenneth. "**Is this who I am going to be teaching?"** she asked pleasantly, her dark eyes filled with light humor and knowledge. She looked to be around her twenties, and had smooth, brown skin and shoulder length black hair. There was a black cloth case slung around one of her shoulders and off her slender, tall frame.

"**Yes, that is Kenneth. We want him to be proficient at playing as soon as possible. Please help him,"** Karen smiled. Kenneth made a mental note to ask what 'proficient' meant.

"**I'll do my best. Hello Kenneth, nice to meet you, I'm Theresa Woo. I think you are going to like playing the violin. Are you ready?" **Stumbling, Kenneth tried to formulate the sentences in his head and say them correctly. He hoped he was saying them right, and he hoped that he wasn't being rude in any way.

"**N-nice to meet you, uh.. Theresa?" **She smiled and nodded. "**I'm Kenneth Namikaze. I-uh, am not very...good at English...yet. Uhmmm, sorry?" **Theresa chuckled.

"**Oh, that's all right. We all learn from each other. I'll try to use small words, OK?"** getting somewhat a vague grasp of what his teacher was saying, Kenneth repeated,

"**OK...?" **

In the background, Karen and Scott laughed lightly. They hadn't expected Kenneth to speak up in English so quickly. They had thought that he'd still need more time to converse in any English at all! Well, quite frankly, Kenneth was merely reciting the sentences Cassie and Andrew and Matthew had drilled into him, like the words, Hello, and bye, and stuff like that, but it was still a big advancement.

**'He really is a genius.. I wonder how long it'll take before he catches up and surpasses Cassie and the others,' **Scott thought, crossing his arms as he watched Kenneth try in vain to put on the stubborn little shoulder-rest. Karen giggled as she saw Kenneth finally managing the deed, and leaned onto her husband's arm. Together, they watched Kenneth learn the basics: the bow hold, the way to properly hold the violin, to walk the fingers, and to tighten and loosen the bow hairs. Because of his ninja training, Kenneth had amazing dexterity with his fingers, and Karen made a small note to make sure Kenneth got some Piano lessons from her. He'd make a great piano player...

* * *

About an hour later...

"**Well, that's it for our lesson, I'll be seeing you again on Friday before this week ends, hopefully you'll have the basics down by then. Practice hard Kenneth! Next time we might even get to actually playing a few pieces from the Suzuki book 1. Come to think of it, can you make it a point to memorize the first piece, so that we can go right into it? Thank you,"** Kenneth caught some of the words she had said slowly.

**'again on Friday...practice hard...Suzuki book one...memorize first piece...'** he thought, connecting the words to form a gist of what she had said. "**Got it,"** he replied, earning a smile from all three adults in the room. He then packed up his violin carefully, as he had learned to do, and then walked upstairs to find Cassie. It was her turn.

Kenneth knew he shouldn't be eavesdropping. His siblings had been kind enough to not disturb him or make him feel awkward/uncomfortable by watching his lesson. He had intended to extend the same courtesy to Cassie, and simply go to his room to review the basics (he was very intrigued by the instrument and wanted to learn more as soon as possible), but when Cassie had passed him on the stairs and greeted her teacher, swiftly pulling out her violin in the same sentence and adjusting her shoulder-rest, he'd been looking curiously on top of the stairs.

He'd been slightly envious too, the way she easily handled the violin, but he assured himself that with lots of practice and the double lessons, he'd catch up to her, no matter what. Then, maybe...maybe they'd be able to play some pieces together? He'd flushed at the thought, but it seemed possible, if he were to practice enough.

Breaking off his fantasies, he redoubled his grip on his case, and was about to open the door to his room when he heard...!

_Music. _

A stunning sound, filling up the entire house with its flowing, graceful quality, reaching his ears and caressing it, almost making the hairs on his neck stand up. He froze, his hand on his door knob, then quickly masked his presence and sat behind the railing of the second floor. His back sliding down the wood, his hands let go of his violin case, and he concentrated solely on the music Cassie was creating.

As he listened, the music morphed from a graceful, flowing tone to a fierce, quick-beat lurches that gave him a gasp, and then quieted down to a soft, barely audible high notes. He compared this level of mastery over his feeble one. Shaking his head, he redeemed himself; he had a long way to go. But one thing was obvious: Sarutobi really knew what he was talking about when he said that the Uzumaki are the connoisseurs of the arts. The feel of his legs coming back to him, Kenneth quietly lifted himself off the floor and walked into his room, intent on practicing until his left hand was in the same state as his right. This was going to be a long night.

* * *

The next morning...

Kenneth groaned. He shifted in his bed and moaned. His hands were trembling. They ached from the core of the bones and the knuckles in his hands. He had remembered to close the shutters all the way last night, though now the alarm clock he had set was insistently bothering him. It had been ringing for a while now, the alarm set to six in the morning, now it was 6:04. as much as he wanted to stop the noise, his hands simply hurt too much. He heard someone stomping to his room at running speed.

"Oi! Care to turn that off? For God's sake, _why did you have to wake me up so early?" _Andrew nearly sobbed. He was still clad in his pjs and oversized shirt. He had slept late last evening, having to study for school. He was a computer science/mathematics major, and he had lots of work to do. He had been hoping to at least sleep till 7:30 before his strict mother came up and forced him to eat breakfast. But _six? _Come on!

His inner complaints diminished as he realized that the blonde was not moving. "Oi, Kenneth? What 's up with you? Turn- off- the alarm!" Kenneth didn't move. His face was contorted to a grimace, but otherwise, he looked to be sleeping. His hands shook against the comforter. Andrew glanced at Kenneth's trembling hands. "h-hey, are you okay?" when Kenneth didn't respond, Andrew spun on the spot and ran downstairs. He dashed to the kitchen, took out two icepacks, wrapped them with paper towels, grabbed a bottle of Tylenol, some water, and rushed back. He ran into Kenneth's room and dropped everything on top of the bed, only holding onto the water.

"Get up, drink some of this, and swallow these," he said, as he pulled Kenneth to a sitting position with his free arm. Barely registering what Andrew was saying, Kenneth feebly gulped down the pills and the water. Then, something cold pressed against his hands, somewhat soothing the pain.

Looking down, he saw the ice packs placed delicately on top of his two hands. The cold coming through the paper towel roused him a bit. "Thanks, Andrew. That helps a lot...ow ow ow!"

"Easy kid, from the looks of it, you stayed up late last night too, doing...all sorts of stuff," Andrew's eyes trailed over to the open algebra textbooks and the filled notebooks that was still spread out on the floor. He also saw that the violin was out of its case, resting on the desk with the bow next to it. "Never in my life have I actually seen someone overstudy enough to make their fingers swell. What are you, some nerd?" **Kenneth t**witched. He didn't like it when people called him those kinds of names...although it was true, in some parts.

"You idiot," Andrew continued, "there's something called a limit, you know? No matter how much you wanna catch up with the others, you have to take this at your own pace!"

"**But!" **Kenneth responded in English, surprising the redhead quite a bit, "**I'm trying hard!" **Andrew's eyebrows furrowed comically at how Kenneth was struggling to explain his case and prove he was improving with his poor English. He sighed.

"Well, either way, rest up, and soak your hands in warm water later. Keep those ice packs on them, unless you wanna get worse. I'll tell Matthew and Cassie to not drive you as hard today, since you are already doing that to yourself. I'll call you for breakfast," he walked out, and closed the door, but before he did, he caught Kenneth muttering,

"it's YOU who drive me crazy the most,"

Chuckling slightly, Andrew went back to his room and took a nice, loooooong shower.

Kenneth was about to go back to sleep when he heard light knocks on his door. Timidly opening the door, Cassie peered in. "Kenneth, is something wrong? I heard Andrew running back and forth.." her eyes zeroed in on the ice packs he had on his hands. "Oh!"

In a bound, she hurried over to his side, softly closing the door behind her. "You're hurt! Are you okay?" she gently took his hands into her own, soft ones. Kenneth felt his face color.

"I'm fine.." he forced himself to not stammer. The redheaded girl knelt by his bed and carefully squeezed his much larger hands. She looked up to meet his eyes. He saw concern there, and a jumble of other emotions, but the one that sprang out at him most was...embarrassment?

* * *

Kushina's POV

Cassie rushed into Kenneth's room. His hands, they looked so battered and swollen! Just what had he done to himself? Inwardly, she blushed at the thought of holding his hand. She wanted to, this she knew, but was she brave enough? Cassie was a woman of action, and so, without hesitation, reached out and pulled his hand close. Looking into his blue, shocking eyes, she felt that familiar sensation of being searched into the depths of her soul. Feeling like she was unable to move, she just gazed into his bottomless blue pits, and then forced herself wrench free. Her blush was visible now on her face, she was sure. But nevertheless, she did not let Kenneth's hands go. She rather liked the warmth of his hands and the warmth that was spreading across her cheeks. Watching Kenneth, she noticed that he too, was getting red. '...oh?'

"Oh, good morning, Cassie. I just over did it when I was reviewing some stuff yesterday," Kenneth would have scratched his head, but Cassie had her hands on his, and he didn't really want to pull out of her grip. Cassie merely looked down at the floor. Not responding. Kenneth cocked his head, worried for the redhead. "Are you okay? You seem down, Cassie, not like usual," Still, Cassie's face was glued to the carpet. Cassie's heart sped up at the sound of his voice. Inside, she felt a piercing pain at the fact that Kenneth was in pain...she didn't want him to be in pain...him being in pain made her terribly sad...what was this feeling?

"...Don't get hurt, Kenneth, no matter what the reason," she finally rasped out, tilting her head up to meet Kenneth's worried face. Kenneth was stricken at the look Cassie was giving him. She was red, almost as red as her hair, and she looked pained?

Cassie lowered her embarrassed gaze down to Kenneth's long fingers, aware of the fact that her heart was racing, and lightly squeezed them. Sliding her hands off his, she stood up and walked away, Kenneth's gaze following her all the way till she disappeared through the hallway.

* * *

I hope that will placate some of our readers, who are (much to my delight) reviewing and asking for more chapters. I hope there is someone willing to become my beta reader. Plz review and tell me so, if you wish. As I have stated in the last chapter, from now on, I will most likely be updating once a week. Sorry, but please understand. Today is the last day of my Winter Break! I haven't even started the Finals yet. Gotta study. plz review and Criticize.

-Hulkishpower


	8. Inner talk and Blazing Heart

Disclaimer: Naruto doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

Updated: 1/8/10

**Kenneth**=Minato

**Cassie**=Kushina

**Karen**=Miki

**Scott**=Naoki

NOTE: When the letters are in bold, it means that the word/sentence itself is spoken in english. It's not just that they spell it in english and so I bolded it. They actually say it out loud. So when Kenneth is talking to himself, the bolded part is him talking in english, then the other part he's talking in japanese. I put that little translation so people won't get confused.

* * *

Kenneth's daily schedule was pretty much routine now.

He got up at six, meditated/stretched for thirty minutes, worked on chakra control for ten minutes, then took a shower and before going to breakfast at seven, read a bit about seals and touched up on his memories about them. Despite the fact that he now had little time to work on seals anymore, he did his best to not forget anything his sensei had taught him. If he had more time than usual, he even drew some out, prototypes for a seal he was trying to perfect.

Even if his family said that jutsus were forbidden, that didn't mean he couldn't study and research them. It didn't matter as long as he didn't execute a technique…right? Anyways, after breakfast, which lasted till eight, he went to one of the pianos, preferably in the piano room and not one of those eight feet grand pianos in the living room, and practiced basic notes and songs and musical theory till 9:30.

His hands, both of which hand suffered greatly, was now sporting pencil callouses on his middle finger on his right hand. Before, that hand mainly had rough spots from gripping kunai handles, but now, after more than a week since he hand handled a kunai or shuriken, they were mostly gone. On his left hand, every tip of his fingers had painful callouses. Theresa assured him that as he practiced more, they would get better. They hurt a lot though! But now he couldn't even practice, as he had snapped a string an hour after Cassie left for school. Karen had been unable to help him, as Cassie was the only one who held onto the spare strings. She took her violin to school. 'I wish I could just do kage bunshin, and then do multiple things at once,'

After that, he went upstairs to begin his daily lessons, which lasted as long as they had to, usually up to seven or eight at night. Then, if it was Tuesday or Friday, he'd have his violin lessons until nine. Then, he'd usually go upstairs and practice violin longer, or review what he had studied that day. He tried to go to bed at eleven or twelve, but there were just so many things to go over that he couldn't help himself.

At first, it had been hard to adjust to his new life, but now, he adapted quite easily. His daily routine went on to the end of the first week he had been there, then changed abruptly as Andrew had to go back to his University. Cassie, too, had been required to return to school, as was Matthew. Their spring break was now over, and Kenneth was left all alone during the times they were at school.

"Gah, I'm soo bored. What am I supposed to do with all these thick books by myself? I can't even understand them, much less read more than two sentences," Kenneth grumbled. He was in his room, surrounded by many textbooks, all sprawled out like a hurricane had gone through them. He had waved goodbye to Cassie and Matthew earlier, as they left for school with Karen. Scott had gone to work, and Karen had to go to a grocery store. As such, he was alone in the huge house. She had offered to take him with her, but he had said that he had lots of stuff to study (which was true), and also that he'd look weird shopping with her when to everyone else he should still be in school (which was also true).

The clock ticked 12:23 AM, and Kenneth admitted with an annoyed grunt that it was still three hours before Cassie came home. He missed her a lot. Matthew was in high school, and he stayed for an hour later behind in his school library studying or doing homework, ever the meticulous guy. Sometimes he reminded him of Kakashi. Even if he would never regret his decision of coming here, he really missed his student.

Kenneth wished he had something physical to do; he was deathly disinterested in all of his surrounding books right now. Scott said something about giving him the Uzumaki seal, so that his body could adapt to it and allow him to train in the Uzumaki-ryu around one or two months after that. It turned out that it was impossible to learn the Uzumaki-ryu or any of the special styles unless their body possessed the seal and was in harmony with it. But the problem was, the process of engraving took approximately six hours, and right now, they simply didn't have the time to waste. Kenneth still had much to learn, and spending six hours just to engrave a seal into his arm seemed much like a waste of time. Scott promised, that since his studies were much more lax due to the busyness of his teachers, he'd give Kenneth the seal as soon as possible, perhaps even this weekend. Kenneth had been thrilled; he was finally on the road to training! He liked studying and learning all these new things, but after a while, it just became boring. Right now, he was twirling one of his empty scrolls on top of his index finger, staring at it blankly as he tried to think of something fun to do. Racking his brain for ideas, he thought,

_Hmm, since Andrew told me to talk to myself in the mirror before he left, why don't I try that? Even if it sounds retarded,_

Getting up, Kenneth walked over to the large mirror in his restroom. Peering into the glass, he stared at his reflection. The same yellow/gold hair, the blue eyes, tanned complexion...handsome face..."**Hi." **

He blinked. He sounded more retarded than he thought he would sound, as the empty restroom magnified his voice a million times. To try and ensure that he wouldn't get a Japanese accent, his entire family made him roll his tongue, and pronounce words slowly but efficiently. He received a round of applause when he managed to say the word, "**GIRL"** correctly two nights ago. He definitely didn't want to sound or look like a **fob** (something he learned from Andrew, a slang word), so he tried again. "**Hi, I'm not a girl. I'm a boy." **Then, in Japanese, 'Hi, I'm not a girl, I'm a boy (He's saying:Watashi wa shounen desu)."

He stared intently into his reflection, which stared back just as strongly. "**This is stupid,"** he said, using a word he learned from Matthew while the middle sibling was using the to word to describe Andrew.

He sighed explosively. This wasn't helping.

His thoughts trailed off to find Cassie. He missed her already. That flaming red hair, sparkling eyes, bright smile and soft, peachy hands. He raised his own tanned ones and looked at them. He blushed as he perfectly remembered the scene from four days ago. He hadn't exactly seen any Uzumaki use their sword just yet, but from what he had witnessed from Cassie's little show back in Konohagakure, she was most obviously a hella good fighter. The way she dodged all those weapons effortlessly would make her more lethal close up with a sword. Even so, her hands had been impossibly soft, as if she was a hime-sama instead of a fearsome swordsman.

He lightly touched his hands to his face. Whenever he thought about Cassie, his face would get real hot and start to ache. Or rather, his heart ached. His heart flared up and pulsed like mad. Looking into the mirror again, Kenneth saw that his face was the color of Cassie's hair.

"Argh! Why am I acting like this? Ugh, stop getting all flustered! Focus, Focus!"

Turning on the faucet, he splashed his face with cold water. His bangs got a little drenched, but he didn't care. He suddenly wondered where all this was coming from. Why was he getting all flustered whenever he thought about Cassie? He thought of her as a sibling...right?

So why should he have any reason to feel nervous around her? They were family.

_I don't have any reason to react around Kushina. She is a sister and I think of her like a sister, _he mentally chastised. Then out loud,

"Kushina is my SISTER!... Right...? Oh man,"

The red haze creeping up his face again, he rubbed his face hard and fell on top of the bed. Why couldn't he stop thinking about her? Every few seconds he'd somehow wander away from algebraic equations and fantasize about Cassie's hair, hands, eyes, and sometimes, lips. Well, she did have nice lips. They were just the way women's lips should be, cherry colored, forming a nice curve...and without a doubt, when his lips pressed against hers, it would be impossibly soft...

"STOP!" waving his hand, Kenneth blew away the thought bubbles that had been forming on top of his head. Feeling satisfied, but somehow downcast, Kenneth put his arms behind his head and relaxed on his bed. Maybe a cold shower would do him some good. Yeah, he really needed one right now.

He closed his eyes relaxed on his bed, nearly instantly falling asleep. Tired, Kenneth's inner mind roamed in the pleasant darkness for a considerable time. Then, all of a sudden,

_'...Minato!_'

...Huh?

"What was that?" he called out, unnerved. Not able to locate the source of the sound, Kenneth settled back into the bed.

_'...Minato!'_ louder this time, someone called his name. Man, he must be going crazy. There was no one in here!

_'…...MINATO!' _

The blonde jumped out of the bed. He whipped his head all around him. "What the heck? Who are you! What do you want? Someone please tell me I'm not schizophrenic!"

_'Shut up, brat. Can't you recognize the voice of your own teacher?'_ ...that annoying voice...it can't be!

"...Sensei?" he called out. Then, nearly giving Kenneth a heart attack, a mini Jiraiya's head popped out in his mind.

_'Yo, gaki. So you fell for a girl huh? HAHAHA~! Finally!'_

'...What are you doing in my mind? Or rather, HOW DID YOU GET IN THERE?' (thinking the words now)

'_hahahhahha-!...' _wiping away a tear, Jiraiya's floating head said, _'oh boy. Sorry 'bout that, lost myself for a minute there. But that look on your face was absolutely priceless! Haha!'_

'Can you pleeease stop sensei? It's been a long time and I don't exactly want you to be laughing at me after all this time. Didn't you even miss me? Or if not, why are you floating around in my head? With only your head, no less?'

_'don't worry, you aren't insane. I'll tell you; I'm just a cerebral delineation of conceptualization that was granted the power of communication,'_

'…..a what?'

_'to put it simply, I'm a moving, talking picture that your imaginative, creative, intelligent mind has conjured in order to cope with the intense mental/emotional conflict you are undergoing right now. Think of it like a defense mechanism that your brilliant mind came up with.'_

'So how is this not schizophrenia? I'm hearing voices, not to mention seeing faces in my head. Also, I DO NOT have any conflicts! Not that you'd know about them anyway,'

_'Kekeke...this is too fun. I wish the real me was here right now. But anyways, what's important is not the fact that you might possibly be going crazy..'_

'So you aren't denying that my mental state may be unstable?'

_'….continuing my earlier discussion, what's important right now is: the fact you fell for a girl. OH MY FREAKIN GOD! FINALLY, MY DEAR SWEET STUDENT FINDS IT IN HIMSELF TO HOOK UP~! 'Sob,' I-I'm so proud of you!'_

'sigh' 'For the last time, I do not like anyone. Let's not talk about this, okay? Go back to wherever you came from.'

_'Don't like anyone huh? Even that hyperactive, incredibly hot, redhead? keke'_

'…...'

_'HWAHAHA..-! I KNEW IT! YOU'RE SPEECHLESS! Ha ha, so you DO love her, eh gaki? Ah, such youthfulness~!'_

'Shut up. I am not in love! That's a too strong word anyway! As if I'd fall in love after knowing someone for only two-three weeks! Get real!'

_'So you wouldn't feel anything if she were to jump away and hook up with another guy at her school?'_

'OF COUR...se...not...'

_'Admit it, you're in denial. You love the girl. If not love then you like her a lot. Trust me when I say I am pretty adept at recognizing people's relationships,'_

'Who _can't_ trust you on those things, when you're so well known for spying on girls?'

_'Ouch. That was mean, Minato. I only mean to do some harmless research that happens to be very pleasing to the eyes, hehe.'_

'Same thing, ero-sensei!'

_'Don't call me that you brat! I am the almighty Jiraiya!'_

'….whatever.'

_'Che, so, how is she? Is she sexy? Is she a good kisser? Does she fawn over you, or does she jump traditional dating and sleep with you in your bed? Details, Minato!'_

'ARGH! you pervert sensei! -please, she doesn't even know I...!' unable to continue, _Kenneth_ turned a bright shade of pink that rivaled his puffies.

_'Go on,' _Mini-Jiraiya's head pressed, his eyebrows twitching in eager anticipation.

'...that I—I—..ugh...like her,' _Kenneth_ softly whispered, his inner voice swishing throughout his mindscape. 'and I don't know if she likes me, either. She's just kind to everyone, and sometimes I catch this..this something in her eyes, but I don't know if that's directed towards me only or if it's for everyone. I...I just don't understand,'

_'Ooo, how suspenseful! If this was a book I was writing, my fans would simply go crazy. Now tell me, what makes you think she doesn't like you back? Why not just chance it? Go ahead and ask her!'_

"NO! Do you know what kind of relationship we have? We're supposed to be siblings..not boyfriend/girlfriend! If, if I ask her out, and she doesn't like me, or doesn't want things to change from what they are now, I- I don't know how awkward it would be after she rejected me. You don't understand, so please drop it,'

_'...I never thought you'd be one for cowardice. What's gotten into you?'_

'This isn't cowardice. I'm just trying to keep things from possibly falling apart,'

_'yeah, possibly. That just sounds like you're too afraid to grasp your own happiness, that you'd rather stick to the present when you can be given a much more wonderful experience by just trying a bit more. Isn't that what you're doing? Too afraid of the future to let go of the present? The present has to move into the past sometime, Minato.'_

'…'

_'It's either you don't take any chances and not ask her, keeping your emotions to yourself, or, you risk it and possibly bring on an entirely different sort of good life. Either choice is okay, except the first one has some major drawbacks. First, you won't ever let that special person know about your feelings, even if she does end up suspecting it. It won't be the same, unless you actually tell her with your own mouth. Second...don't you think that anyone who has the love of someone else deserves to be told about how special their existence is to them? Think about it Minato. This is one of the greatest lessons of life. You either risk it, or you lose it forever. I think I would go for the first one, seeing how as a ninja, I am not guaranteed a full, ripe life. I would rather work for my happiness instead of brooding over what might happen or whatnot. Wouldn't you do the same?'_

_'_Does this mean you've actually asked Tsunade-sama out before?'

"_Hell yeah! But it just seems she cannot accept my feelings...even if I am being sincere about them, she doesn't think I am being honest. Sometimes it gnaws at me you know? But even so, our friendship hasn't gotten any uncomfortable ever since she rejected me, so don't worry about you being awkward.' _Getting a bit emotional, Jiraiya tiredly rubbed the palm of his hand to his face. His streaked visage didn't look so giddy anymore.

'..Sensei? Are you all right?'

_'..I'm fine. Well, that's my advice as your teacher and father, so you'd do well to listen to me, got it? I have to get going now, and I want you to grasp what I'm trying to convey to you,'_

'..Do you have to?'

_'Boy, be glad I am only going to be here once. If our talk was to become a chronic thing, then...let's just say there will be no more justification that you won't be schizophrenic anymore.'_

'I changed my mind. Get outta here! And don't come back!'

_'He he, don't be so feisty. You remind me of this blonde girl I had back in kusanawa 2 years ago,'_

'Eww! Just please go away sensei! And don't _ever _make that kind of gross comparison in your real life, got it? If you do, I won't care if you're my sensei or not, I'll beat you up for sure!'

_'mph, like my other self will be able to do such a thing as communicate with me anyway. Again, I'm merely an image your mind has generated to pass the time.. and to make you admit you like Kushina. Make sure to introduce her to my other self when you visit!_

'Argh, why do I even bother to put up with you,'

_'Because you love me of course! Now gotta go, bye!'_

'Wait! This just all happened in my head, right? So nothing I said was really valid?'

_'chuckle.' 'My dear student, you still have a lot to learn. Even if it did all occur in your head, who's to say that what we talked about wasn't the real deal? I'm only a part of your thoughts, and you've merely been conversing with yourself. But don't worry about it. No one cares anyway. Now, bye!'_

With a pop that was only audible to his mind's ears, the floating head of Jiraiya disappeared. His eyes popping open, he bolted upright, doing little double take at the empty room in front of him. Huffing like he'd seen a nightmare, he sat on the bed. 'Now that was downright weird,' he thought.

Thoroughly shaken by his 'teacher's' last words, Kenneth stared off into space, his face faintly coloring as his thoughts drifted over to a certain red haired girl. He jolted roughly when a female voice called out to him, knocking out whatever he had been thinking.

"Kenneth? Are you in there?"

Karen's voice drifted from the middle of the stairs up to his room, making the blonde twitch and run his hands through his damp hair nervously. He glanced at the clock, and it surprised him that more than an hour has passed. Had he been zoning out for so long?

"Oh yeah! Sorry about that, I didn't know you came back!" he called out, rushing out of the bathroom and into the hallway. Karen smiled as she saw yellow hair speed towards her.

"Well honey, Cassie is going to end school soon, and since her school is not too far away, I have her walk back by herself. So can you help me put the groceries away, and then you and I can have a little piano time until Cassie arrives?"

"Sure, I'll be right down!" he called, and returned to his room. Bending down to scoop up a textbook, he frowned and scanned his room critically. For the past few days, he had been too busy to really clean up after his studies, falling asleep as soon as he was done, but now..._ugh, so MESSY! I CAN'T BELIEVE I LET MY ROOM GET INTO THIS STATE! _his overrated sense of cleanliness and personal hygiene taking over, he moved in a rampage throughout his room, miraculously picking up and tidying up everything in less than a minute while grumbling, "it's Jiraiya's fault." Then, he ran downstairs to help Karen.

* * *

"I'm hoooome~!" Cassie's bright, cheery voice turned heads. Kenneth and Karen, both sitting at the grand piano in the living room, were both resting their hands on the keys. Smiling, the two of them got up to welcome the redhead home as she squeezed through the double doors with her red, Jansport backpack and violin case.

"Welcome home, sweetheart. How was your day?" Karen gently took the violin case from her daughter. Smoothing out her hair, Cassie replied,

"Oh, it was okay. We had a test, but I think I aced it. It was in Geometry. I have a History test tomorrow, so I've got to study. How were you doing by the way, Kenneth? Were you bored without me?" Kenneth blushed at the implication of her words. He could hear the way how the simple question could be construed two ways, although he doubted whether Cassie actually meant it in _that_ sense.

"I was fine. Just studying by myself. Oh, and I need a new string, so can you help me on that?" he grinned into her face. In response, Cassie blushed as well, secretly entranced by his smile. Kenneth on the other hand, caught the soft redness smearing her cheeks and deep inside, a warm, fuzzy, pulsing feeling swept through him. He vaguely registered his heartbeat steadily speeding up. She looked so cute when she blushed that way...maybe she too...had feelings for him? His heart leapt at the sudden possibility. Now deafeningly pounding against his ribs, his heart took off on a frenzy.

"Why not? I'll give it to you as soon as I'm upstairs," Cassie brushed her long hair back behind her ear, her red tinge on her cheekbone smoldering as she realized he was following her movements with an intense gaze. Those blue eyes...shaking her head lightly to clear off some steam, Cassie marched upstairs to her room, her entire being aware that the blonde was following behind. Self-conscious, Cassie walked into her room and placed her backpack down. Kenneth went and stood around the windows looking out over the view.

Hastily opening her case and pulling out a mass of brand new strings, she flipped through them with a professional expression. "Which string do you need again?"

"Oh, I need a E string. It snapped while I was playing,"

She suddenly looked up from the slim packages. "It snapped while you were playing?" Setting the unopened envelopes down on her bed, she rushed over to his side and pulled his left hand up to her eye level. Scrutinizing his fingers with an intensity that had Kenneth reddening all over again, she gingerly felt the forming callouses on his fingertips. Worriedly, she gently touched his jaw and shifted his face side to side so that she could examine his face. "You weren't hurt, were you? That string could have hit you on your face and left you with a gash. Or even hit one of your eyes and make it go blind.' She caressed his cheek. 'It could have hurt your finger, but it looks like your hand is fine,"

Leaning into her touch and moving closer at the same time, Kenneth, without ever breaking eye contact, huskily said, "I'm alright. Don't worry about it." Cassie simply let a weak smile ghost across her facade. Her soft hands still on his face, they stared at each other for who knows how long, every second becoming more and more passionate as the two teens observed each other with silent sincerity. Then,

"CASSIE! KENNETH! AREN'T YOU TWO COMING DOWN? I called you like four times! Kenneth, you need to practice piano, remember?" Karen hollered from the bottom of the stairs.

Jerking apart at the sudden sound, the two bashfully split, Kenneth returning to the window with a hand rubbing his neck, and Cassie fumbling with the strings.

"Here you are. Let's get downstairs before Mom gets annoyed. She can lecture for an infinite amount of time you know," Cassie hurriedly slid an envelope into his hand.

"Yes, I know. She demonstrated her fascinating abilities the first day I was here. Thanks for the string, by the way," he replied, his heart searing heatedly as he heard her mumble.

"No problem. It's really nothing to thank me for, so...!" Kenneth cut her off as he moved on impulse, crossing the room in swift, bold steps. Bending down, Kenneth deliberately landed a soft kiss on Cassie's left cheek; he heard the intake of her breath. As soon as he did, he moved away a bit to match his forehead to hers.

"I mean it. Really, thank you. For everything." Locking his powerful gaze into her flushed face, he thinly smiled and walked out the door.

Her eyes following him till he quietly closed her bedroom door, Cassie fell on her bed, her heartbeat blocking out all other sounds. _Kenneth..._

* * *

Right outside Cassie's room, Kenneth gasped and inhaled deeply. Stumbling backward till his back met the cool wall, he then proceeded to slowly slide down it. 'Oh my god, I can't believe I just did that! What's gotten into me?'

Slapping his hand to his face, he continued thinking _Ugh, I really shouldn't have listened to Jiraiya. What if she avoids me from now on? What am I going to do? _he recalled what Jiraiya had said...

''_'It's either you don't take any chances and not ask her, keeping your emotions to yourself, or, you risk it and possibly bring on an entirely different sort of good life...''' _hmph. What a load of bull.

Furiously red, Kenneth tore his mind away from his thoughts about Jiraiya.

_Chance it, or lose it, huh? Well it turns out I was an idiot and jumped t__he gun without even taking the time to prepare myself. How pathetic, Minato, _he sarcastically remarked.

But even so, standing up limply and starting down the stairs, all he could think about was how soft her cheek felt when it had come into contact with his lips. Unable to find the heart to brood over what he had just done, Kenneth loosed that scowl that had marred his normally cheery expression.

The scene replaying over and over again, Kenneth unconsciously felt the lower half of his face with his left hand, putting together the places that Cassie had touched, that one thought sticking to him the rest of the day. _Cassie.._

* * *

Hi. Sorry for not updating in such a long time. Well, I suppose compared to some other writers, this is pretty fast. I had been hoping during my absence some new readers would review this story, but I'll just think that this is all because I still lack experience and skill. Once I get more practice and people like my writing more, then I'll definitely get more reviews, right? I'll look at this as a chance to improve :D

Well here is a new chapter. Sorry if that Jiraiya scene was a bit abrupt. I had no idea how to fill in that gap, and my friend happened to give me an epiphany. It would've been smoother if I had more time to work on it. Either way, my schedule for next week is about the same as this one. Next week is the official start of my finals, and so I might have less time to write, but I have minimum school hours on all of the testing days so maybe it'll come out earlier than this one had.

Well, stay tuned, and plz review! It makes me sad when more than 5 days have passed and no one thought to review. Thanks!

-Hulkishpower


	9. Seals are Tiresome, but Sexy

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me. He belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

Updated: 1/10/10

Note: Does anyone know anything about ethics? My English teacher is forcing everyone to write an essay on it. I have a small idea on what I'm going to do but it's not broad enough. Any suggestions?

* * *

The weekend.

Finally.

Naoki and Saishu, along with another elderly man, placed the proper sets of seals on the cold, concrete ground. The three of them, identified as the Uzumaki elders by Kushina, moved about in an orderly fashion as they prepared the small, dim room located in a corner of the multipurpose room for the process of bestowing the Seal onto Minato. Trying to not get into their way, Minato bent down and studied the formulas with rapt interest. He had always been fascinated by seals. It delighted him to know that in approximately six hours, he'd be well on his way for physical training.

With the happiness practically radiating off him, the three elders chuckled and sped up on their work.

They wanted to get this over with as soon as possible. Who could bear to resist that blinding smile of his?

Making the final brush strokes, Naoki and Saishu nodded, looking over their work. It was perfect. None of the three were seal masters, but from the moment they had been born to the main family of the Uzumaki clan, Naoki especially, this sealing procedure had been literally drilled into their heads.

It was a duty that every head of the Uzumaki bore on their shoulders. It was their job to engrave the seal onto any newborn Uzumaki. Shinzou too, had been taught everything he had needed to know. As the clan heir, he and Temjin (for insurance, though they didn't really want to think about anyone dying) were both geared to take up the job as soon as Shinzou was inaugurated. Of course, that day was still far away. Kushina, being the third child, was not granted this privilege, because the position for the third spot for the elders was given to the eldest cousin of their generation. This explained the age gap between Naoki and the third elder.

Smirking at the third elder's approval, Naoki turned around to face Minato, putting down his brush and wiping his hands off.

"Kenneth,come here. Let's get you ready, shall we?"

Eyes sparkling, Minato held out his left arm. Measuring the distance from his wrist to the spot the seal would go, Saishu carefully marked it off with a small dot from his brush.

Eyes crinkling in a mischievous smile, Saishu said, "It won't hurt at all. It might even be boring. You sure you don't want to study while we put the seal on you~?What do you say, Kenneth?" Shuddering lightly at the thought of more books, Minato hurriedly said, a bit too fast,

"I'm fine! I'll just...uh, work on my English.."

"Heh, is sticking to textbooks really so bad, Kenneth? I thought you liked studying," Naoki commented.

"I do, but you try studying for twelve hours a day for three weeks straight. Can you go on without even the barest hint of boredom?" daring the older man to challenge him, Minato confidently leaned back.

The three elders merely smiled. They couldn't fault that logic. They had to admit, it sounded terrible. If anyone tried to stick them to learning eight years worth of stuff in four months, they would rather go bash their head on a boulder. A small corner of Naoki's heart warmed up at how Minato grew more and more open with his emotions. He was hardly timid now, speaking up on his opinion, and he was glad to know Minato was making progress. In conjunction with his heart, a corner of his lips tugged upward.

"Alright, let's get right into sealing everyone. Kenneth, you go sit in that circle. Sorry if your butt gets frozen after a while. Just bear with it," Naoki called out, taking a spot on the triangular patterns.

Saishu and the other man both followed his example, settling down at their respective spots. Gulping, Minato looked around. Despite all the assurances everyone gave him, he was still nervous. Again, who could blame him? There was still a slight chance that the seal would be completely incompatible with his body. Then, before it went and wrecked his chakra system, the elders would have to get rid of it fast. And boy, did he mean _fast._

Taking a deep breath, the three elders all brought their hands together in an identical seal and activated their own chakra seals. Their hair and eyes turned black, and under the dim light, Minato shivered. Then, shifting their hands around, the three of them made similar, but different seals. Slowly pushing Jinki throughout the painted arrays, the formulas illuminated the dark room, and the slow, tedious process began.

* * *

Ouside the small room, standing just in front of the door, Kushina placed a hand on her fluttering heart.

She couldn't help but worry for Minato. There was a reason why the seal was placed while they were no more than a year old, preferably even younger. Their chakra coils were not yet developed, and so it was much easier to adapt to the seal and grow into it. The sealing procedure was almost hundred percent safe even when done at a mature age, but there was the possible chance of negative reaction to the seal. Even that chance of a reaction was very slim, bordering on .8% to 1%, but it could happen.

And if it did happen...she didn't want to think about it.

She saw the flash of light glowing from the space just below the door. Knowing that it has officially begun, Kushina paced back and forth across the huge multipurpose room, nearly tripping over stands, weights, wooden swords, her own feet...

She knew that it would take a painfully long time for them to finish, but she couldn't bear to go up to her room. "Unn.." she moaned, clutching her head and sliding to the waxed floor. She really wished she was in there with him.

* * *

Meanwhile, as the seals continued to glow and the elders' eyes closed in concentration, Minato noted several things. One, his left arm was feeling very tingly. All the sensations seemed to be pinpointed at the dot Saishu had drawn on his skin.

Second, his butt was already starting to feel numb. The coolness of the concrete he sat on was making his rear end feel flat.

Third, he felt this really weird, flickering sensation in the core of his stomach, where chakra is generated. It felt like it was pulsing, and while it didn't really affect him in any way, it felt a little uncomfortable. He wildly wondered if the feeling would get stronger as time goes by. Right now, it was just a light disturbance..but if it were to become more powerful, well...then there would be vomit on the floor. He knew it.

Checking out the rough cement walls in boredom, he saw that they too had been imbued with seals. Taking the opportunity to look around him and study the seals written by him, he gazed at the symbols with rapt interest.

'Woah, I think this mark right here is a chakra generator..but this one's a chakra suppressor..and this one is..? Hmm, I really should ask Naoki-san how this is all done after this,' he thought.

Glancing at this watch on his left wrist, he saw how it was only nine in the morning. He quickly did the math. When he was done it would be...three in the afternoon.

* * *

Kushina kept on pacing, pacing, pacing...it was now noon. Minato would be feeling hungry...

Should she just go to the kitchen and make something for him to eat instead of walking around aimlessly? Her mom wasn't in today after all...This would be a good chance to do something productive. There was still three more hours to wait. Looking longingly at the simple door, Kushina walked out of the multipurpose room and into the rocky terrain of the basement. Her steps gradually gaining speed, she dashed towards the set stone staircase on the opposite side of the training area. She hoped Minato was doing well.

She had heard that the sealing process was like pouring water into a juice filled cup and continuing to pour until all the juice was gone. What the elders were doing was that they were slowly filling Minato with Jinki and forcing the chakra out of him. Then, with the amount of chakra they had put into drawing the seals would converge on the point of concentration, the dot, and seal his body so that it remains in that state without any chakra.

Usually, people died when drained of chakra, but with Jinki, it was a different story. Naturally, when the sealing was done, Minato wouldn't have the yellow hair he had before; his seal would already be activated. If he wanted his chakra to come back, he'd have to deactivate the seal.

She took in a shaking breath. This was where people went wrong. In some cases, their body couldn't handle the sudden replenishment of chakra. This was why the engraving was stretched out as long as possible to make it easier, but...she covered her face with her hands as she dashed off the basement stairs and into the kitchen.

* * *

Minato was starting to breathe rather heavily now. The air all of a sudden felt like it was thick and viscous, choking him on the way to his lungs. He took large gasps with his mouth to try and force some oxygen inside. A small peek at his watch a minute ago had told him it was now two, and he was sporting some beads of sweat across his forehead. He was starting to feel whoosy, like he had a fever. His arms felt like lead, and his head felt like it weighed a ton. Just supporting his head made his neck strain. His back was suffering too. Hunching more and more, he knew he was going to have back pains.

He somehow registered that he hardly had any chakra left in his system. That sent warning signals through his brain. He was surprised, and shocked, though he was too tired to show it much. He hadn't done anything but sit for five hours, so why did his chakra deplete so severely? Did it have to do with the engraving process? His instincts told him that he had to make some more chakra, but his mind and body was too fatigued and worn out to pull any kind of energy.

Naoki, sensing Minato's distress, quietly said, "Don't worry Kenneth. Don't fight it. Don't call on any chakra either. Just let it overtake you. This is all part of the sealing process,"

Gasping inaudibly, Minato's fuzzy mind tried to do as Naoki told him to do. 'Don't fight it..don't fight it...fight what? The sick feeling?'

Too confused to really do anything, he simply slouched on his spot. He was too tired to even keep his head up. Eyes still closed, but relaxing like his job had suddenly gotten easier, Naoki and Saishu both grinned lightly and said, "Good boy."

* * *

It was nearly three. Just a few minutes to go. Kushina drummed her fingers on the kitchen table. Impatient, she flipped her hair back, playing with the ends. Temjin walked in, a book in his hand, and frowned at the sight of his sister. She looked like a mess.

"Cassie, calm down. What's up with you?" he said.

"What's up? Kenneth's getting his seal, that's what's up! Aren't you worried at all?" she snapped.

"Noo, because I have faith that Kenneth can overcome whatever that's thrown at him. By the way, he's the one who wanted the seal as soon as possible. He's getting what he wants, so no problem,"

Kushina irritatedly squeezed her eyes shut. "The whole point is that it could still go very wrong. Don't you see?"

Temjin paused from pulling out a carton of orange juice from the fridge. He furrowed his eyebrows.

"I never knew you were so pessimistic," he remarked, setting down a glass and filling it with the juice.

"I'm not! I'm just being realistic! You know it too!" she retorted,

"Well, what I'm trying to do is not think about the 'going bad' part at all. You know, Murphy's law?"

Kushina rolled her eyes. "If that was an attempt to sound like Shinzou, then news break Temjin, Shinzou's much better at being sarcastic than you are,"

"Whatever you say, little sis," Temjin rinsed the glass and walked back to his room. Kushina, eyeing the meal she had prepared for Minato and the elders, got up and hurried down to the basement. The process should be almost over by now.

* * *

Minato slumped to the floor. The elders sighed simultaneously as the glow from the formulas ran toward Minato and settled around the dot-as they released their hand signs. It had been a long, grueling effort to channel Jinki into the kid. He had some amazing chakra reserves. Naoki was surprised to know Minato's supply almost rivaled Sarutobi's. He had heard from his friend that it was Minato's dream to become Hokage, and from all he gathered on the boy till now, Naoki could actually see it happening.

With such amazing chakra, skill, training from them, and brilliant mind, he might as well be the greatest Hokage to ever live. He heard some knocks on the door.

"Come in, we're done," he called, moving forward to stretch out his frozen buttock and set Minato on his back so that he'll not suffer from a lopsided face. Kushina slid open the door. The action let in lots of light from the multipurpose room, effectively lighting up the small chamber. In the new light, the elders all squinted from the brutal assault, but widened as they managed to get a proper look at Minato.

Lying on the floor, Minato now had black hair framing his face. Kushina gasped at the change. She had known that it would change colors, but she hadn't accounted for it making him more..sexy.

The black hair accentuated Minato's fine jaw line, and emphasized the handsome lines that made up his face. It made him look lethal and hot. Even with his eyes closed, Kushina's heart was in her throat, pumping loudly.

Saishu grunted as he stood up and patted his pants. "Do you have any food, Cassie? I'm starving," he asked, his hand rubbing his belly.

"O-oh yeah, there's some in the kitchen. It's freshly made, so all of you go eat it. I'll take Kenneth up to his room," she stuttered, trying to hide her red face. Not worrying that Minato might be too heavy or anything like that, the older men chattered up the basement stairs, leaving a flushed Kushina with a sexy, out of it, Minato.

After a few seconds of just drooling at his face, Kushina hauled Minato by his arm slung over her shoulders, and lifted him up to his sun-colored room. At the moment, she was extremely glad the elders were preoccupied with eating and talking right now. She wouldn't have a good enough excuse if they caught her like this, all red, trying to walk as slowly as possible.

She was very relieved to hear Temjin take a shower as she walked by his room. Stopping at the white door with the wooden placard carved: MINATO, she opened the door and carefully maneuvered Minato's body inside. Huffing, she pushed the covers aside and put Minato in his bed, tucking the blanket in. Reaching under the blanket to grasp his hand, Kushina put it to her lips.

All the color looked drained from Minato. With his now black hair, he looked like a black and white picture, only his skin wasn't as white. It was just very pale, like he was extremely sick. Holding his hand, Kushina prayed that all the sun they had put into decorating the room would seep into his waxy complexion.

"Hurry and wake up, Minato. Even if that hair looks good on you, I'd rather have that sunny side of you back," she whispered. Pulling more of his arm out, she saw the seal freshly marking his skin. It was a dull black, like his hair. There was also the dot, which had acted as the locator during the sealing. Now, it was useless, and Kushina let his hand go to go to his bathroom.

Picking up a towel, she wet it with cold water, squeezed it as much as she could, and wiped off the dot from the middle of the diamond shaped seal. Then, she set the cold cloth on top of his forehead, wiping off some of the cold sweat he had.

Taking his hand in hers again, she stared at his face, the curve of his closed eyelids, the well formed nose, the jaw, and lastly, his lips. She remembered how he had given her a kiss on her cheek...it had been so sudden, and she certainly hadn't expected it, but she immensely enjoyed that feeling. It had been brief, but wondrous. She wondered if she had any feelings for him. It was sorta obvious that he liked her, but did she like him back? The thudding of her heart answered her silent question.

Groaning, she buried her face into her hands. Her emotions were just so jumbled up.. and she still had that science test on Monday.

More than 24 hours passed. Minato continued to sleep. Not once did he wake up. It was standard procedure that he'd be knocked out for a couple of days, and so no one really worried, but Kushina was hardly stable. She'd been visiting him every hour, checking to see if he awoke. And every time, she was disappointed. He was still unconscious.

'What if he wakes up while I'm at school tomorrow? Mom said that she had to go out of town for something..Dad will be at work...he'll be alone and confused!' she thought, taking Minato's hand in hers. On the other hand, she worried about him not waking up for too long. When the seal was on, it meant that the body was now solely relying on Jinki, which meant that their feet had to be on the dirt floor. The elders had filled him up with enough Jinki to sustain him for a few days, but if he didn't wake up in time...

"Please wake up soon."

* * *

It was Sunday night, 7:00PM, the sun still high in the sky. It was the first week of May, and her birthday was not too far away. She didn't want him to be sick on her birthday...

A groan emitted from Minato's lips.

Kushina froze, then whipped her face down to stare at Minato. Shocked, she held onto his hand with both hands.

His fingers twitched, making Kushina rip her eyes off his face and focus on his hands. His eyelids fluttered open, and he dazedly looked about the room.

"Cassie?" he rasped out faintly. Kushina gasped, and placed a shaking palm on his cheek.

"Kenneth? Are you awake?" she let out a happy, choked sound.

"Whuzzz goinggg ooon, my head feeeels like eelephants are stampeeeding on it..." he muttered drowsily. Kushina faintly smiled.

"It's all part of how it's supposed to be, so don't you worry about it. I'm gonna go tell everyone that you're awake, kay?"

Getting up from her seat, she slid her hand out of Minato's, or was about to when those said fingers suddenly gripped her hand tightly, keeping her from moving.

"No, don't go. Stay. Please," Minato spoke in broken sentences as he tried to sweep the cobwebs from his brain. Stunned at his display of affection, she looked down at the hand holding on to hers, and sat back down, blushing.

"..."

Trying to get rid of the silence that now permeated the room, Kushina came up with some random bubble to try and get Minato to talk. "Hey, you should really take a look at your face. It's soo cool~!"

"Oh yeah?" he mumbled incoherently.

"Yeah," she repeated, the blood rushing to her face as she saw that he had coal black eyes, ones that were just as piercing as his electric blue ones. The dark Minato looked dangerous, and his body literally screamed sexiness. She was ashamed at the thoughts. To escape, she ran to the bathroom and came out with a small hand mirror. "Here," she pushed it directly in line of Minato's sight.

The once-blonde took one look at his reflection, his eyes still halfway closed, then bolted up on the bed, wide awake.

"WHAT!"

* * *

Alot of time skips. This one is the shortest chapter yet. But I thought people would still want it up early than having it a week later with only another couple thousand words added to it. Hope you liked the chapter. Minato can start to train!

-Hulkishpower


	10. Masters

Disclaimer: Naruto doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. I only own my plot and characters like Andrew and Matthew.

UPDATED: 1/14/10

Kenneth=Minato

Cassie=Kushina

John=Saishu/uncle

* * *

It was June. The middle of June, to be precise.

Kushina, now fourteen, the same age as Minato, was giddily receiving congratulations from her many family members. Having just graduated from Middle school, she stood in the middle of her grand living room surrounded by other redheads.

"**Congratulations on graduating. Sorry we couldn't be there,"** her aunt, **Megan **said apologetically. Her husband **John, **also known as Saishu, had a hand around her shoulders. He too, looked sorry.

**Cassie** laughed joyfully. **"Oh who cares? Only three people could come anyway. Thanks for coming over to visit! These flowers are really nice. And it's not like I just graduated High school either! Ha ha,"**

She bent down and sniffed the flowers her aunt and uncle had just recently placed in her arms. Lilies and lavender, such a nice smell.

**Kenneth,** now acceptably fluent, replied in English as well. **"Hey, nice job on graduating. That ceremony was really unique. Is that the way all graduations are held here?"**

"**No, just our school. Actually, I don't know, he he, all schools celebrate a little differently, but it's pretty much the same, I guess, with the diplomas and all. But high school graduation will definitely be grander! I promise you!" Cassie **smiled brightly. Then, on an even happier note, she added, **"Now that it's summer, I can hang out with you all day! We can go swimming, teach you tennis, train, go to the amusement park...especially now that I'm no longer grounded! He he,"** she scratched her head.

**Kenneth** raised an eyebrow. **"You were grounded?"** he asked.

"**Yeah! Didn't you know? When I ran away to see you a few months ago, Dad grounded me the moment I came back home. That's why I couldn't use computers and all that stuff,"**

"**I see,"**

"**Did you like my friends? I think they all liked you. They said you were smart, that you learned English so quickly, and that you're cool,"** **Cassie** chirped. **Kenneth** reflected back when he had been at her school...

* * *

-flashback-

"**Hey Kenneth!! You have to meet my friends! Come on~!" **Grabbing his hand, **Cassie** ran over to a group of former eighth graders. Smiling as she came near them, one of them wolf whistled as they saw that the two were holding hands. **Cassie** immediately let go and smacked the boy on his shoulder, referring to the taller, Chinese boy as **Johnny. **Then, she'd proceeded to introduce **Kenneth **to everyone there, including **Cassie's** best friend** Claudia.**

**Claudia **was a bit taller than **Cassie's **five three, and stood in a nice, five six. She was of muscular build, but despite the fact that she carried herself with strength and power, she had a cute face and smile. As a girl, her muscles weren't very noticeable, but** Kenneth, **who was trained as a ninja, could plainly see the layers of muscle on her biceps. Besides that,** Cassie** had described her as a **"Killer hobo who used to beat me up for revenge"** back when he had asked about her best friends, and he could see that **Cassie's** description was actually quite accurate. She very easily be intimidating if she wanted to. Claudia also lived in Bradbury, and so was in walking distance of their house. They promised to visit each other during the summer.

"**Hello. I'm Kenneth, nice to meet all of you,"** he greeted politely. Everyone he had met up till then was very different from the people in Konoha. Before, any girl he came across blushed and either became an annoying fan, or became a downright scary stalker, or sometimes, tried to be a friend. At that time however, **Kenneth** had been too closed up and shy that no girl actually succeeded in becoming one. Contrarily, everyone he'd come across at **Cassie's** school (including the girls) treated him like a normal person. They didn't blush, they didn't try to make themselves sound funny or amazing, they just behaved the way they normally do.

**Cassie's** friends were all just like her. They had a mischievous glint in their eyes and an open smile. That boy, **Johnny,** seemed specially dangerous as he had crept up to **Kenneth** and slung his arm over the blonde and stealthily whispered if he and **Cassie **were dating. He had included an evil chuckle while he was at it too, and nudged **Kenneth's** ribs. **Kenneth, **on the other hand, was simply bemused.

**Cassie **was just chatting merrily with **Claudia **and seemed to not realize that the other boys were ganging up on** Kenneth. Pavin** and **Johnny, Anthony, Lyndon**, and **Brian **all crowded the blonde and jokingly punched him in the shoulders a few times. He soon became very comfortable with them.

By the time they had to leave for home, he was friends with everyone. They had welcomed him into their circle of friends and added stuff like, **"that was hip!"** or "**Man that's cool,**" during their conversation.

He was intrigued at the individuality that graced everyone. **Pavin** was extremely feminine, but truth to be told, no one would really think he was a girl, nor would they think he was gay. People just joked for fun, at least from what he gathered.

**Brian** was very short. He was around **Kenneth's **waistline and was very cute, with a slightly round face and physique. He was also Chinese, and even if he happened to be lacking in height, no one made fun of him or thought of him any lesser than themselves. They treated him with respect and he treated his friends with respect, but with that humor everyone else had.

**Anthony,** the gangly teen who was once again, Chinese, had many pimples dotting his face. He was super tall, and his spindly legs and arms looked pathetically out of control. He talked with a stutter, and walked with a stutter, but he was part of their group just the same.

**Johnny** and **Lyndon** were like two brothers who just couldn't let loose the bomb. Or rather, they were two brothers who ALWAYS released the bomb. They kept on joking with mature humor, and snickered at **Kenneth's** and **Cassie's** relationship. **Kenneth** thought that the two really...fit in well with each other.

-flashback ends-

* * *

Waving, **Kenneth **helped the guests out the door. He had that excited, frenzied feeling in his gut that told him he couldn't wait to be in school. Closing the double doors, he turned around to walk up to his bedroom. He heard** Cassie **gushing over her cellphone, talking animatedly with** Andrew **in speedy English**,** which of whom had stayed in his dorm to study. He had taken the time to call his little sister to say his own congratulations, despite the workload.

'Wow, they're such a loving family...hard to believe that there's such a tightly knitted clan...' he thought, then gradually, a smile graced his lips. '...and I'm a part of them.'

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next day,

"**Kenneth wake up!!! Let's go play Tennis! It's the first day of summer~ it's the first day of summer, it's the first day of SUMMER!!!!!" Cassie** spun into his room. It was seven, and** Kenneth** was already awake with a textbook in his hands. Bemused, his lips curled upward. She was so cute.

"**Are you going to teach me?"** he smirked, throwing his book to the side and smiling suggestively. He leaned back onto his hands, that confident look challenging her. In a way, he was flirting, but he preferred to not think of it that way. He just loved that he had no problems with expressing himself anymore. If he wanted to flirt with her, then he will do just that. No more shyness or worries!

"**Why not? Matthew and I can both teach you," **she replied brightly. **"Do you have your racket? The one we gave you as a late birthday present not too long ago? Go bring it," **She ordered.** "and bring that black over-grip I gave you before. You still have it right?" **

Obliging, **Kenneth** moved off the bed and pulled out his tennis gear from under the bed. Dusting it off, he handed her the roll.

"Okay, give me your racket and get me some scissors," she said in a professional tone, and sat on the spot he was sitting, wrapping the grip around and around. The tennis racket, with orange and black patterns, Wilson brand, was shiny and new. He loved it.

Taking less than a minute to wrap the grip around the handle with practiced ease, **Cassie** handed the racket back to **Kenneth**.

"Get dressed, and meet me downstairs in ten minutes, kay?" She smiled sweetly. Before she could pull away, **Kenneth** grabbed her hand and kissed her on the cheek.

"Thank you," he breathed, watching humorously as she colored red. She never complained, and sometimes even retaliated by giving him a kiss too, so he never stopped doing that occasionally. And he planned to never stop...whether she liked it or not.

Giving a tentative smile, **Cassie** ran out the room and into hers.

Ugh! She couldn't think whenever he did that! Not like she didn't like it, but sometimes it was embarrassing. She was glad that he never did that in front of anyone else. But at the same time, she was glad that she was the one to make him open up so much to give her an affectionate peck on the cheek. She was also absolutely certain that she was the first person he ever did that to. It made her...really happy.

Jumping out of her pajamas, she pulled on her PE shorts and looked for a stretchy shirt, all the while thinking.

She had known that he liked her very much, ever since she first met him. She wasn't one of those oblivious girls who always failed to notice if a guy liked her or not. When she'd first met him, she initially thought that he was good looking, but didn't think any more on it. But, he'd been so nice...the tour, the talks, his personality..everything about him drew her in. Without realizing it, she too had fallen for him.

**Cassie **snorted. A person's feelings were such strange things. Who knew things would turn out this way? **'If only Andrew knew that Kenneth and I are having these affairs...' **she thought wryly.

Retrieving the rest of her stuff, she walked to the garage and packed ten bottles of water. Matthew was already waiting. After a minute, Kenneth walked down, and the three put on their tennis shoes and walked out the door.

"**This is the forehand,"** Matthew instructed patiently. He guided Kenneth's arms and legs to the correct position. **"You move like this, then follow through. Always follow through. Or else the shot will be weak. And push out, like this,"** releasing his grip, **Matthew **gave a slow demonstration. **Kenneth **watched attentively, then copied his movements.

"**Like this?"** he asked.

**Matthew **studied him for a moment, then shifted to rearrange** Kenneth's **arm a bit.

"**Like that,"** he replied. Trying the form again, **Kenneth **received the approval from **Matthew.**

Frankly, **Matthew **was impressed. It took a while to get used to the forms and to hit effective shots. But it looked like **Kenneth **was already easing into the techniques. The blonde was already eying one of the balls.

Turning, **Matthew** looked at **Cassie** for a response. To his surprise, his sister was completely out of it, zoning out in the middle of the court.

"**Hey Cassie! Wanna go for a practice round? Help Kenneth out?" **he called, observing his usually attentive sister jerk from her trance.

"**Huh? What? What'cha say?" Matthew** shook his head.

"**I said, can you play a practice match with Kenneth! Rally a bit! I'm gonna warm up while you two do that. Okay?"**

"**Yeah, sure..."** she mumbled, gripping her racket. She then dazedly walked over to the baseline, and silently motioned for **Kenneth** to do the same.

"**Go easy on him!!" Matthew** added. Normally he knew that **Cassie **would play lightly, but today he wasn't so sure. She seemed...blank. Thinking about other things, he supposed. It happened to all girls her age.

Not answering, **Cassie **just stared into space ahead, and threw the green ball into the air. **Kenneth** tensed.

**Cassie's** racket flew into the air, and smashed the ball straight into the service box. Gaping, **Kenneth** turned around to see the ball stuck between the wire fence after it had rebounded off the court.

How in the world did she hit that hard??!

"**Umm, Cassie?"** he froze as another ball pivoted towards him. Hell, he couldn't retaliate!! The balls were coming too fast! Then all of a sudden, she stopped hitting. Half a second later, he realized he'd just lost the game and so it was his turn to serve.

Carefully launching the ball across the net, **Kenneth **inwardly whooped as he saw that he had put in just the right amount of power into it to make it into the service box.

**Cassie **ran up to the ball, dazed, and whipping her shoulder back, brought down the racket with crushing force...projecting the ball 80 miles per hour right into **Kenneth's** stomach.

Eyes bulging, **Kenneth **was lifted off his feet as the green projectile plunged into his gut and threw him to the floor. He let our a harsh gasp as the wind was knocked out of his body, and once he was on the ground, he dropped his racket to clutch at the blue/purple circle just under his shirt.

It hurt so much. Why was a small ball like that so compact?!

**Matthew,** who'd witnessed the entire event, cried out, **"Cassie! What the heck are you doing?!!?"**

"**Huh?" Cassie **looked like she just woke up.

"**Look what you did to Kenneth!"**

"**Huh—what...OH MY GAWDDD!!"** **Cassie** screamed and ran to **Kenneth's** side. **"are you alright? I'm so sorry! I was zonking out and...oh I'm just so sorry, Kenneth, I-" **

**Kenneth** raised a hand, gasping painfully as he did so.

"**I'm fine. Ugh. That was a very nice....cool...hard shot,"** he rasped out. **"I really felt it with every fiber of my being, if you get what I mean."**

**Cassie** just dropped her head in shame. Tutting worriedly,** Matthew **quietly suggested, "Why don't we go home today? I think **Kenneth's** going to be sore,"

"**..Good idea." **Helping **Kenneth** up, the siblings tiredly trudged over to their house.

Walking much further up front than Kenneth or Cassie, Matthew led the way back to their house.

Meanwhile, **Cassie** was being assailed with guilt. Oh goodness, she was such an idiot! Daydreaming about the kiss earlier, and then ending up hurting the real thing in front of her. Now **Kenneth** would probably have a ball shaped bruise on his stomach. What to do now...

"**So, was it fun to hit me with the ball?"** **Kenneth **casually asked, humor evident in his voice.

"**...no..I'm sorry." Cassie **just looked ahead.

Taken aback, Kenneth turned to look at her profile. She indignantly refused to look at him. He had thought she'd return to her normal self after some subtle probing, but it seemed her guilt was running deeper than he originally thought. Shoot, now HE was feeling bad. His stomach was sore, but it wasn't that bad. Honestly, this was nothing compared to Jiraiya's hits back in training. He was just caught off guard, that was all.

Wordlessly, Kenneth reached for her hand. Squeezing, he gripped harder as she tried to pull away.

"**I'm not letting go until you stop feeling bad,"** he announced quietly. Cassie slumped.

"**Fine. I'm not sorry anymore. Happy? Let go of me!"** but instead, Kenneth firmly adjusted his grip and kept on walking, a triumphant grin etched on his face.

"**Argh!! You are soooo--!" **

"**So what?"** he asked innocently. She liked him holding her hand, so why bother pulling it out? It was pretty obvious with her face all red like that.

"**Hmph. Now I regret teaching you English. I hate it now that you can talk back to me like that,"** she pointedly looked away.

"**Well they say knowledge is power right?"** he joked. **"It really is worth it to see that expression on your face. It's priceless! Haha!" **

"**..jerk,"** Cassie muttered.

"**Hmm, now that's a new word. Mind giving me its definition?" **

"**YOU'RE THE WORST!" **in a flash **Kenneth** was behind her, his soft breath rustling her red hair. **Cassie** promptly froze, feeling his warmth through their clothes. God, he was so warm. He was always warm.

"**Shh. Matthew will hear,"** **Kenneth** whispered next to her ear. She shivered, nodding silently. It would be bad if any of the males in the family knew of the feelings raging between the two. She and **Kenneth** weren't exactly dating, but she wasn't sure if they were just friends anymore.

To their utter ignorance, **Matthew** was completely aware of what was going on behind him. He too was a trained shinobi, a top elite, and living right next door to the two practically made it impossible to notice. Not to mention that the little charade the two were showing off twenty feet behind pretty much scorched his back with intensity.

He was a bit put off with their unsure relationship, but he wasn't **Andrew,** and if **Cassie** thought **Kenneth** was a good guy, then he had no problems with it. Being personally acquainted with the blonde also proved to him **Kenneth** was a dependable, trustworthy person. In a way, he approved, but then again, there was that hint of disapproval. **Matthew **thought that most likely he would feel the same way towards any other guy **Cassie **would have ended up bringing home. Ahh, brotherly love...

**'Can those two get any more obvious? It feels like they're bombarding my backside...' Matthew** thought, doing his best to ignore the small pints of noise coming from behind him.

"**..YOU'RE THE WORST!"** he caught. Hmm? Were they having a fight? Well, either way, it was of no consequence for him. Let them do whatever they want to do. But as for **Kenneth**...well, he'll be keeping an eye on that blonde, nevertheless.

* * *

Lunch went on without anything interesting happening. It was just the usual small talk made at tables.

Only the trio was present, their parents out for work.

"**Kenneth, are you fully adapted with the seal yet?" Matthew** asked over his plate of spaghetti. **Kenneth** slowly swallowed..

"**Yeah...the change happens instantaneously now, and I am much more comfortable with the process. I don't get headaches or sweaty anymore either,"**

"**That's good. Dad said something about bringing Andrew back home so that he can start helping you train for the Uzumaki-ryu. The clan sword makers have already begun forging a sword for you,"**

"**A..a sword?"**

"**That's right. Since you are not of Uzumaki descent, you will be unable to sign the contract, but like the way we gave a dagger to Sarutobi-Jisan, we can make you a sword with the same properties. The blade will just be longer,"**

"**Wow, thank you,"**

"**Don't thank me for something so trivial. It's part of our duty as the main family to make sure all of our family members are bestowed a sword," Matthew** calmly poured some juice for himself and the rest of them.

"**The main family?" Kenneth **inquired.

"**Yeah, we're very close to each other as a family, but the direct line of the clan head is born with some obligations to the clan. Like the sealing technique and that stuff,"**

"**I never knew that."**

"**But of course; we always seem like one big friendly family, so you unintentionally assumed that we have no system among the clan. I understand. That happens a lot," Matthew **explained.

"**That's cool..Hey, do you have a job too?" Kenneth** brightly asked, facing **Cassie. **

"**Ummm..." **

"**Cassie, as the **hime, **bears the title of ceremonial maiden," Matthew** answered for **Cassie. "Every once in two years, we go to a retreat in southern Korea, located in the mountains. We stay there for two months, during the summer. While we stay there, we must always have our seal activated, and wear traditional clothes. English is also forbidden,"**

"**Huh? So you talk in Korean? Why do you do such things?"**

"**It's to preserve our heritage. This way, we never forget who we descended from and our genealogy,"**

"**That makes sense...I suppose. Wait, does this apply to me too?!"**

"**Duh,"**

"**Oh shoot! What am I gonna do? I don't know any Korean, I don't have any traditional clothes, and I don't know any single thing about mannerisms and all that..."**

"**Don't worry. We went last year, so we'll go next year. You have an entire year to study. As for the clothes, we don't exactly wear the Korean garb, but the clothes from Shilla time. And there are people who serve us there. They make all our clothes, food, jewelry, weapons, and act as servants. They'll make your clothes for you,"**

"**Woah..I never knew you guys did something like that. It sounds fun, even if it seems formal."**

"**It is a lot of fun. While we are there, the rest of the clan addresses us differently, and with respect. But that's just part of recreating our ancestry." Matthew** picked up the empty dishes and began to wash them. **"I'll do the dishes if the two of you will vacuum the floors. Mom said that there was company coming tonight."**

Chorusing in a faint, **"Okay,"** the two soon-to-be freshmen walked into the living room and began vacuuming the first and second floors.

After about a minute of loud vacuuming, Kenneth called loudly over the noise, **"Who's coming tonight?"**

"**Probably the other elders and some of the organizers, and the maestro of the Uzumaki orchestra!"** She yelled back over the whirring sound.

"**Why?"**

"**The summer ball is coming up! I think it's in six days. All Uzumaki's have to be present at the ballroom located next to Uncle John's house!"**

"**Really? So Andrew will be there?"**

"**Yeah! And so will our relatives from all over the world! They'll most likely just plan out the time, the mood, the setting, and the food, and all that. It's kinda boring to listen to them, but it's fun to go to the ball!"**

"**If our orchestra is participating, does that mean we won't get to enjoy the party?"**

"**No. We rotate shifts every year. We're off this year, so we'll be dancing and catching up with our family. Oh, and this will be your "official" debut into our family. We're to introduce you to all the members of our family,"**

Pausing, **Cassie **turned off her vacuum. The sudden action startled **Kenneth.** He too turned his off.

"**Cassie?"**

"**..Hey Kenneth.....come to think of it...all the masters will be there!" **enthusiastically waving her arms around, she grinned at him in pure glee.

"**Masters?"**

"**Yeah! Remember? The special techniques of our clan? Since they'll all be there...I bet we can convince a master to take you in as his apprentice!! Wouldn't that be great?"**

"**B—but, I'm not an Uzumaki..so I don't think I should...and I already have a master.."**

"**No one cares! I'm apprenticed, Matthew's apprenticed, and Andrew's apprenticed. You're the only one out of the four of us who is not a successor to a technique!" **

A second passed.

"**WHAT? YOU GUYS ARE THE SUCCESSORS TO A TECHNIQUE?!!?"**

"**Didn't I tell you already? I'm the successor of the Zankenmaru-ryu, Matthew is of the Tenzantenken-ryu, and Andrew is of the Hijutsu! We all are proteges of the three great masters!"**

"**Three great masters??" Kenneth** asked weakly. Honestly, he didn't think he was worthy to take away a technique from them. He was not even blood related. This was ridiculous!

"**You don't know the story? Well lets hurry and finish our job, then I can tell you about it," **Nodding, **Kenneth** and **Cassie** moved across the huge house, picking up every little speck of dust.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"**Okay, so this is the story of the foundations of our family," Cassie,** leaning on the bedpost of **Kenneth's **bed, made herself comfortable by arranging his pillows around her back. **"Where to start... hmmm.. oh, okay. In the beginning, there were three masters." **

**Kenneth** leaned forward on the same bed in rapt attention. **"They were the holders of the** **Zankenmaru-ryu, the Tenzantenken-ryu, and the Hijutsu. They were later called the three great masters. The master of the Tenzantenken, a beautiful, dark haired woman, was married to the master of the Hijutsu. The master of the Zankenmaru-ryu was brother-in-arms with the husband, even if their styles differed. They were the first founders of our clan. **

"**Putting the three techniques together, they were able to come up with the Uzumaki- taijutsu. The taijustu involved rapidly accumulating Jinki into certain points of the body and to release them spontaneously, sort of like a spring. When executed properly, your blows would leave a spiral shaped mark on the contact point, which later gave us our name. When hit by our taijutsu, the victims would sport both internal and external damage. The strength of the spirals differ from how much tension is built up compared to its size."**

"**That's sort of like the Hyuuga clan's Jyuuken," Kenneth **commented.

"**Well, unlike the Hyuuga, we did not have the Byakugan, nor were we aware of the fact that chakra existed. Back then, it was just Jinki. The high powered, contained spring explosions compensated for the fact that we didn't have the Byakugan. Later, as chakra was introduced to the clan, we were able to use the taijutsu for both Jinki and chakra, but that's a much later story.**

"**In their life, the three masters came across other Jinki users. Those who had found out about the secrets of the Jinki fighting style. They fought them, and won, earning the respect and alliance of their newfound opponents. These two other masters of the ****Ryuumaken-ryu, and the**** Rozuzansei-taijutsu, decided to join our family. They were later called the lesser masters, even though their skills were on par with any of the greater masters. From then, the family kept on building and building, the techniques passed down from master to apprentice again and again. **

"**Right now, all the greater masters are taken. But, both the lessor masters have still yet to acquire an apprentice. If you were to be chosen for either master, then it would empower you tremendously,"**

"**Woah!! too much vocab right there! Tone it down, will you?"**

"**Haha, sorry."**

"**What are the two techniques like?" **Kenneth questioned. He was starting to feel that maybe this would be a great chance to improve himself, even if he felt a bit sorry for Jiraiya.

"**The Rozuzansei-taijutsu is an amazing fighting style that is about training your legs. When you fight, it makes your moves practically impossible to follow until it's executed. So, if I tried to kick you right now, you would see me moving to start the kick, but for the Rozuzansei-taijutsu, you don't see any of that until the actual kick. Oh, that and the training makes your legs impossible to be damaged in any way, as long as the seal is up. You can also release sharp streams of Jinki from your legs to cut a rock in half, and all that stuff. It's really amazing.**

"**As for the Ryuumaken-ryu, well, I don't really know much about it, except that a person trained in it can release sharp, powerful strikes from their fingertips even without their sword. It depends a lot on physical shape, so not everyone is for this technique. When utilized properly, the sword slashes are perfectly silent and do not disturb the flow of air. It focuses very much on stealth and assassination, but it can also be used in an all out battle. I personally don't like that technique, because the master is really weird and creepy. The style also requires a fat, Chinese style dragon blade, and I think it looks ugly. I mean, my Zankenmaru-ryu has some sword requirements too, but it's not that drastic or ugly!"**

"**What about the three other techs? I still haven't heard about them," **Kenneth cocked his head to the side.

"**To put it simply, the Hijutsu is a **hijutsu**, so I can't tell you (pun, because it's the "secret technique," she can't say what it is), but I can tell you that it's passed from the clan head to his heir, so Dad is the master right now. **

**"TheTenzantenken is based on sharpness, accuracy, and flexiblity of movement; and the Zankenmaru-ryu is based more on sword ki than sword form,"** shrugging her shoulders, **Cassie** fiddled with a piece of her hair. Clearly done with her explanation, she looked up into **Kenneth's** half-grimacing half-stunned expression and arched a delicate eyebrow.** Kenneth **spoke first.

"**That was...certainly enlightening." **

"**I know."**

**

* * *

**

Hi. Finals was ridiculously easy. But now I have to prepare for a recital that's coming up. Sorry if all this info hurts your head. Try to understand. It'll all get simpler later. Right now, it's still the beginning, so I have to cram in a lot of stuff if I want to get to the high school life.

-Hulkishpower


	11. The Ball: Part 1

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

Updated: 1/18/10

NOTE: EVERYTHING IN THIS CHAPTER IS SPOKEN IN _**E N G L I S H**_. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE CLEAR THAT NOW THAT KENNETH IS FLUENT, EVERYONE IS RETURNING BACK TO THEIR PRIMARY LANGUAGE(which is English). I DIDN'T WANT TO HURT OTHER PEOPLE'S EYES BY BOLDING ALL THE TEXT AGAIN, NOT TO MENTION IT'S A BORE TO DO SO.

Got it????

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

* * *

"NO KENNETH! YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG!! YOU'RE LETTING THE CHAKRA LEAK! TRY AGAIN!"

"UARGGGHHHHHH~!!!!!"

"NO! NO! NO! YOU HAVE TO KEEP THE CHAKRA UNDER THE SKIN AND LET IT BUILD TENSION, THEN RELEASE IT TO CREATE THE SPIRAL EXPLOSION, REMEMBER??"

"UUOOAUHHHHHHH~~!"

"WRONG! STICK YOUR GUTS TO IT AND _HOLD IT IN!"_

"KENNETH! CAN'T YOU HEAR WHAT I'M TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW?"

"YOU'RE DOING IT _WRONG_ KENNETH!"

"KENNETH!!"

"KENNETH!"

"KENNETH!!"

Bang. Slam. Smash.

"AGHHHHHHHH!!!! STOP, STOP! ALL OF YOU! CAN'T YOU SEE THAT I'M TRYING??! I'M NO NATURAL BORN Uzumaki AND IT'S HARD FOR ME, ALRIGHT?? At least give me a demonstration!"

A worn out, frustrated Kenneth threw his aching arms down and sat down tiredly onto the chunky rocks in the basement. Rubbing his eyes, he tried to will his shame away. It felt so wrong to not be able to get a move down easily. He, the genius, couldn't even do a simple thing like creating a chakra spiral; and to think that all the tiny children of the Uzumaki could perform this technique with ease. It bothered him more than he thought it would. _If only there was a way to keep the chakra __outside __of the skin, but still maintain it...to suppress it in some kind of compact form..._

Biting his lip, Andrew spoke up first. Standing in the middle flanked by Cassie and Matthew on both sides, the three of them surrounded the fatigued blonde. "Well, we've already given you plenty of demonstrations..."

"I MEAN like a slow, well articulated demonstration meant to increase positive instruction. NOT a full out .02 second show that occurs in an instant!" Kenneth snapped. Running his hands through his hair, he let out an explosive sigh.

"Look," he began, "This is hard for me, okay? I just don't get how to hold the chakra right beneath the layer of skin, then to release it in a burst. I get that the shape of the chakra has to be in a spiral, I have that down at least, but before I can pump more chakra in, it just starts to leak! I try so hard to hold it in, but it just doesn't work. Don't you have any suggestions to help me out?"

Cassie glanced around nervously. "Kenneth, this doesn't have anything to do with a simple trick. This is basically just chakra control. And it doesn't even require great control to be able to do it. I think the problem is that you were taught to always spontaneously release chakra after accumulating it. Maybe it's a habit that's keeping you from learning this,"

"I agree," Matthew cut in, "Many shinobi do not know the meaning of restrain. They simply force and release. I've seen this many times on my visits to the ninja world. Perhaps we should see if it's this style of learning is what's affecting you," he put a finger on his chin, speculating. Andrew spoke up.

"Hmm, in that case we should try this with Jinki, that would be easier to control. But you don't know how to channel Jinki, so that's another problem..." Andrew droned off. Then, a bright idea came into his mind.  
"Hey, you've did the tree climbing exercise, right?" he asked, his eyes glinting mischievously in the sudden enlightenment. "Then you know how to keep a constant stream of chakra to make your body part stick?"

Kenneth nodded suspiciously. "Yeah..?" he answered, still unsure of what Andrew was up to. In response, Andrew just grinned widely.

"In that case, I think I have a way to explain this to you without confusing you too much! Just think of it like putting chakra in your hand or foot like you're going to walk up a tree, but instead of keeping the stream constant and level, charge triple times the amount of chakra into the same spiral in less than a second, then don't fight the resistance and let it go! It's kind of like the way how trees reject you if your chakra is too high, you know? But this is much faster and more powerful. Try it!"

"Uhh, okay." placing a hand on one of the sharp slabs of rock protruding from the ground, he took in a deep breath and began to mold chakra into his hand. First, make the hand stick...

Second, keep sticking.......then...! Overload! Kenneth took in a sharp breath and his eyes flew open. His other hand clutched his wrist madly. "Ughh...!" _hold it in, hold it in!!_

"Kenneth! Release it now!"

Cassie's sharp voice struck him like a hammer hitting an anvil, and he subconsciously let go of the tightness in his chest...as well as the uncomfortable tension in his hand touching the slab of rock. In an instant, all that suppressed chakra left him, and as a result, Kenneth was now staring at a well defined spiral etched onto the surface of the mud colored rock. It was about half a foot in diameter, and the grooves were only around half a centimeter deep.

Nevertheless,

"WHOO HOOO!! HE DID IT!!!"

"YES!! YOU DID IT! YAHOOOOO~!!"

"I knew you could do it, Kenneth,"

the three voices rang out across the rocky basement, and Kenneth rubbed the back of this head sheepishly, still stunned at what he just did and staring slightly at his hand. Jumping onto Kenneth's back, Andrew ruffled Kenneth's blonde locks, getting a relieved laugh out of him.

"Ha ha! You little!!" Andrew, Matthew and Cassie continued to playfully assault their blonde in joy, tumbling around on the cold, dirt floor. Laughing full of heart, the siblings congratulated Kenneth in his

success. Laughing along, Kenneth put his hand back on the slab of rock. Quiet now, the redheads tensed in silent anticipation.

Kenneth's eyes narrowed towards his target. Now that he managed to perform it, he had a general idea of what to do. It really was simple, actually. _Now, hand, don't fail me. _

"Haa!" He quickly piled up the pressure, then released. Once again, the spiral appeared, only slightly wider but no deeper. Still, it had taken him much less time to execute it. Eyes sparkling, the redheads clapped harmoniously.

"Wow, that was amazing! You got it down so fast!" Cassie looked up at him in wonder. Seeing her react that way made him feel kinda like a show off, but it sure felt good.

"Hmm, nice job. The range is bigger this time, which shows that you're getting the hang of it. Try to see if you can increase the tension more quickly while placing more chakra so that you'll get a wider range _and _a deeper attack," Andrew commented. "It all just takes practice and experimentation. But I bet you're already aiming to practice like crazy, right?"

Kenneth grinned in response. Then, a former thought came back to him. "Hey Andrew, if we didn't let loose the chakra, but somehow just kept on suppressing it, wouldn't it create more damage to our opponents?"

"Huh? But if it's under the skin, how so?" Andrew tilted his head, not following the blonde. "What're you getting at under those blonde bangs of yours?"

Kenneth ignored the comment. "I mean like, if the chakra was kept outside, and suppressed, instead of keeping it inside, and releasing it, it might hurt more, you know?"

"Hmm, I suppose, but if it's just random compressed chakra it's not really going to do any good unless there's some force behind it. That's partly the reason why we make ours explode. What's shoving simple chakra gonna do to an opponent unless you're a trained medic or a ferocious demon that has poisonous chakra?"

"I guess you have a point," Kenneth admitted. He too, could see the gaps in his idea. Still, it was an epiphany that had not come in a long time. He'll look more into it while he practices the spiral explosions.

"Hey, the four of you! Come up now, you need to eat lunch and Kenneth has to be fitted for his suit for the ball!!"

Karen called from the top of the stairs. Jolting, the four of them turned to run towards her.

"Coming!"

* * *

"So, Kenneth, have you thought about the masters yet? Do you want to inherit a technique?" Cassie asked curiously over her bowl of cheese chowder. Hesitating, Kenneth put his spoon down. Everyone else at the table stopped eating to look at him.

"Well.." he started, "I certainly _would_ like to get stronger, and the Rozuzansei-taijutsu intrigues me a lot, especially since I'm into speed and all, but just because I would like to learn it doesn't mean the master will take me in,"

Andrew swallowed. "That's true. The master might not think you have what it takes to be their successor. But if you want to learn, why not give it a go? Ask the master to accept you at the ball tomorrow,"

"But, I don't even really know much about the master yet. What if I say something and he takes offense.."

Matthew snorted. "He? Kenneth, the master of the Rozuzansei is a _woman!"_

"HUH?? HE--I -I mean, she's a girl???"

"Obviously,"

"No one told me that! Cassie just said that the Rozuzansei has to do with legs and kicks so I just naturally assumed that it would be a.."

"A guy?" Matthew supplied helpfully. Kenneth slumped.

"...Yeah.."

"Honestly, does it make any difference? I think she's amazingly strong," Cassie commented, a bit fazed by the fact that the boys were making such a big deal out of the master being female.

"Well, no, it doesn't really make a difference...." Kenneth started to talk but Andrew interrupted him.

"Are you crazy? It makes all the difference!! Think about it! Being taught by a smelly, muscular guy or being taught by a lovely, _curvy_, _seeeexy, hooooot _woman?" He cackled. "It's a world of a difference!"

Matthew smacked his elder brother on his head. "Andrew, act like a college student, not like a hormone driven 14 year old teenager," both Kenneth and Cassie had blushed at that one. A corner of Kenneth's keen mind suspected that there was more reason to why Matthew had chosen that particular number instead of any other. _What if..?_

"Anyway, she's one of the hottest woman I know. She's pretty too! With dark tanned, smooth, glossy skin and long black hair that comes to the bottom of her hips. There are only two other people who can stand up to her in looks, and one is Matthew's master, though she's not as sexy. His master is more of the demure, mysterious, heavenly beauty. I personally prefer the other one," Andrew bellowed with laughter. "as for the one other person...well...I'd rather not talk about her right now," _Cassie would be just as pretty as any of them when's she's grown up._

"Wow, so your master's a woman too?" Kenneth asked, turning to face Matthew.

"Yes, that's right. She lives in the ninja world, with her husband,"

Cassie spoke up. "You know, they say that the masters hardly appear to any of the clan meetings except for the ball and private recalls from Dad! I only see my master when he comes here and takes me to the mountains to train. But he's gone for long periods of time, so I usually have to train on my own,"

_Hoo, boy, isn't this interesting, _Kenneth thought. Then, Karen poked her head into the room.

"Kenneth~ come get fitted for your suit. We need you to look perfect!"

"I'm coming!" he called. Placing his bowl into the sink, he followed after the red haired woman and into her room, where the tailor was waiting.

* * *

"Kenneth! Hey, are you ready?" Cassie's voice filtered into the yellow room. It was dark, the sun was setting, and stars were already out. Already dressed and ready, Cassie peered around to search for the blonde.

"I'm not really quite done yet..ummm!" his slightly panicked voice came from the bathroom.

"Are you dressed?"

"Uh, yeah...but um...I don't really know what to do with my hair...it's sticking up everywhere as usual.."

Cassie walked up to the door and burst in, hurriedly closing the door behind her. Kenneth jerked around. "Cassie? What are you doing.....uh.....WOAH. You... look nice," To say that she looked nice was a serious understatement, he knew. But at the time, Kenneth's brain was so befuddled with the upcoming ball and the sight of the dazzling girl, he was only able to formulate a kindergarten sentence.

Cassie was wearing a spaghetti strap, deep, very dark red dress that came to her toes and was gathered in the back into a smooth ruffle. It was gored, and the small, v-neckline emphasized her nice chest, not too revealing but seemingly making Cassie more mature looking. Her shining red hair was twisted into an elegant bun with slightly curling strands let out to frame her delicate face. Long, silvery, ornamental earrings dangled from her earlobes. She didn't have any make up on, but she didn't need any, due to her perfect skin.

Unable to find words, Kenneth just stared at her, his mouth gaping.

Cassie blushed a bit at the rapt attention the blonde boy was giving her. "Stop looking at me,"

"Oh, sorry,"

"To think of it, you don't look too bad yourself. That suit looks very nice on you. I think black is your color. It brings out your skin tone in a strange way," Cassie primped his collar and adjusted his sash tied around his neck and collar (sort of like the ones Kaname wears often to a party in VK). "Hmm, you're right about your hair. It'd look nice on casual clothes and semi-formal attire, but in occasions like these..." She grabbed a comb and ran it through his hair.

"I already tried that. It doesn't work," Kenneth said dejectedly. His hair never cooperated with him. It was always that same, spiky yellow mess.

"Lemme try this," Cassie got some gel, mixed it with some water and conditioner, and ran it through his hair. "See, it works!" Carefully, she arranged his bangs on the left of is face, so that it partly hid one of his eyes and gave him a mysterious, dark, look. The rest of his hair she flattened, and only allowed minimum amount of spiking. The end result was quite astonishing, and Kenneth looked more like a model than a normal teenager. The said blonde took a look in the mirror.

"Woah! How did you do that?" he gushed, staring at his reflection, the original cold, dark image long gone.

"Kenneth, don't act like an idiot and put that poker face back on! You want to look good in front of the Masters and the other clansmen, not like a bumbling, boneless, blonde!" Cassie chastised, grabbing a hold of his cheeks and pinching them hard.

"Okay," he muttered, examining his face. Wow, he really did look cool with this hairstyle. Maybe he should cut his hair like this once and for all.

"Now, lets go outside and put our shoes on, and head to the ballroom. Mom, Dad, Andrew and Matthew left already, because they had to be there early. I was supposed to bring you along. People must be there already, so lets go!" tugging on his sleeve, Cassie paraded the still partly shocked Kenneth down the stairs and into the shoe room.

After putting on the high shoes, the two walked out the double doors and into the dimly lit road, guided by faint moonlight and golden street lights, the stars right above them.

* * *

Waiters, waitresses, cooks and butlers dotted the ballroom. Occasionally, the waiters and waitresses walked around, serving refreshments and delicacies to the finely dressed men and women at the ball. Hired for this special occasion, the cooks did their best to concoct the finest cocktails, appetizers, and entrees. Standing at the entrance of the ballroom were two butlers, whose duty was to announce the arrival of newcomers and guide them to their familiars.

The grand, high ballroom was inlaid with shining wood, and astounding chandeliers hung from the ceiling, catching the light and reflecting them back by a thousand like a brilliantly carved diamond. To the sides adjacent to the entrance, long, loaded tables with white table clothes offered various dishes, and at the opposite end of the doors, was a low platform with the orchestra playing a gentle, songlike tune. Flower garlands decorated the walls and corners and tables, perfuming the large room with their scent. People stood to the sides and near the center, filling the space with idle chatter. The dancing would come later.

"Entering Miss Cassie Uzumaki and Mr. Kenneth Namikaze!" The butler on the right announced loudly. The talking came to a abrupt stop, then all eyes focused on the doors, waiting in eager anticipation to see the daughter of the clan head and the newest member of their clan they've heard so much about yet have never seen.

With a sweep of their hands moving in perfect synchronization, the butlers grandly opened the gleaming doors.

Stepping lightly with her heels, Cassie scanned the room with all the dignity of a noble. Kenneth, unsure of what to do, decided to further himself from humiliation by sticking to the calm, controlled facade he used to have before all the time. He paced himself alongside Cassie, and wordlessly followed her to Andrew and Matthew's side.

Mild murmurs began to erupt from all sides, everyone wondering about the yellow haired young man who had accompanied the clan princess. Andrew, his eyes darting from one side of the room to the next without hardly a jolt of movement from his face, handed Kenneth a drink. He continued to moniter the reactions for another second, then, he proceeded to call out loudly,

"Isn't it a wonderful thing you are here, Kenneth? I daresay I have been waiting a long time for you to arrive. There are many people that have been waiting for you as well."

As if on cue, many groups that had been standing around, talking to themselves came and surrounded Kenneth, all bearing the neutral smile of a carefully guarded shinobi.

Greeting him cordially, the various red/black haired Uzumakis shook his hand. One in particular, however, held onto his hand longer than the usual greeting consisted of.

"Nice to meet you, Kenneth. I'm Michelle, and I live in Chicago. I am a entrepreneur in a clothing company. I happen to be the cousin of Scott. I'm very glad to know you are part of us now," her polite words and smiles were more sincere looking than the others.

"Nice to meet you too, Michelle. Thank you for welcoming me into the family," Kenneth replied courteously. He's eyes roamed over the other family members. They too, were all smiling politely, but their eyes had a frosty edge, somehow very cold and sharp, jutting into his chest. Surrounded by such people all around, with untruthful fake smiles, with the exception of Michelle... for the first time coming to the Uzumaki family, Kenneth felt lost.

* * *

Finally, all the introductions were done. As the relatives moved about, walking towards the tables to catch some food, or to greet other people who had arrived later, or to pay their respects to the clan head, they scattered around the ballroom, leaving Kenneth alone with the siblings.

Kenneth put a hand to his face. Wordlessly, he stared down at his shoes. Despite the "warm" greetings, he felt very out of place. The Uzumaki in general had subtly implied that they were watching him, and that they did not deem him trustworthy..yet. To Kenneth, who had grown so used to open and outgoing behavior from the Uzumaki, this landed a blow to his heart. _I'm getting soft_.

Andrew put a hand on his shoulder apologetically. "You alright Kenneth?" Kenneth nodded. "Sorry about that, not everyone trusts you yet. We were able to accept you right off the bat because we trusted our dad and Sarutobi with all our heart. But to those who didn't really ever get to know Sarutobi, or those that live in the ninja world, they are a bit wary of you. But don't worry, they'll get over it really soon. The whole purpose of this ball is to promote clan trust and reunion. Oh, and also to have a chance to meet the masters of course," he winked.

"That's right. You have nothing to be afraid of. Our relatives are just taking necessary precaution so that this world wouldn't be overtaken by power thirsty ninjas. You understand, right?" Matthew too put a hand on Kenneth's other shoulder. Kenneth smiled grimly.

"Yeah, I do. Thanks for the advice guys," all three brightened. The music changed to a more lively tune.

"Oh hey! Let's dance, Kenneth!" Cassie exclaimed, pointing to the maestro, who was now conducting profusely and with visible passion.

"Huh—what?!" Kenneth stuttered as she grabbed his hand and led him to the center of the room. Other couples soon joined them. Laughing at Kenneth's uncertainty, Andrew and Matthew both moved out to find a partner. Scott and Karen too moved away from their table and positioned themselves near the center.

"B-but I'm not sure about dancing Cassie...I'm not very good at it yet..how about in two years..."

"Oh screw it! Mom taught you to dance right?"

"uh-that was very brief..nonetheless educational, but very brief.."

"Stop being a coward and take advantage of me like you always do! What's wrong with you today?"

"Uhhh you see.."

"Put your hand on my waist," Cassie ordered.

"WHAT?!"

She growled. "Just do it!"

Before long, the two were dancing to the flow of the music, along with several other couples. Many of them, who had formally greeted Kenneth, relaxed inwardly at the sight of the blonde nervously dancing.

Many found the sight amusing. Many also found that the blonde was more than just a foreign shinobi. To sum it up, many Uzumakis were soon convinced that Kenneth wasn't a threat as soon as they saw the daughter of the head dancing and having fun with the blonde. Some even said that they were a cute couple, to which Andrew's ears perked up and he whipped his head around violently all the while still dancing.

"What the hell did that guy just say?" he narrowed his eyes dangerously. "I think I caught something along the lines of, 'Cassie looks nice with someone,'"

His partner, a perky, brash Uzumaki cousin who lived in Hollywood, took a hold of his chin and forced him to look back at her. "Eyes, on, me!" she growled, dominating the lead. He sighed.

"Alright, alright," _I'll find out what that was about for sure._

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Whoo! That was fun," Cassie sat down at a chair. Kenneth grinned and handed her some punch.

"Well, I never expected my first dance to be led by a girl, but I suppose it was alright," he lightly joked.

"Hmph. You're just lucky I didn't abandon you in the middle of the dancing floor, you dummy,"

"Hey, be nice. You want some food?"

"Hell yes!"

"Ha ha, here you go," and he handed her a plate full of food. Leaning forward to pile a plate for himself, he watched her eat happily out of the corner of his eyes. Smirking, he sat down on the seat by her side.

Nibbling on a piece of bread, Cassie scanned the crowd talking merrily with a curious look. "Wow, looks like everyone's having fun. I guess a lot of them are staying here for a few days for the clan activities," Kenneth raised a brow.

"Clan activities, like what?"

"Like sparring, playing bingo, and playing a giant game of Mafia. It's really fun. You'll like it," then she said, "We might have to invite some guests over to our house tonight. So that there will be room for our relatives,"

"What's Mafia?"

"It's a game where we have to discern the killer from the group,"

"Oh."

"Yo, you guys having fun?" Andrew strode over, grabbing a plate as well. He had ditched his annoying cousin and had finally come to attack the issue that had been bugging him the entire time.

"Hey Andrew. Did you dance too?" Cassie asked innocently.

Andrew chugged down some punch. "Yeah, I went and danced with Grace,"

"Huh? Isn't she really clingy?"

"Yeah, but she's an okay dancer. Hey Cassie, what's this I hear about you being a couple with..." he was cut off as Matthew walked over.

"How's the food? The chef really outdid himself, didn't he?" he reached for some small sandwiches made in the shape of stars and hearts.

Andrew glared at his younger brother. "anyway, I was saying, that--" this time Cassie cut in. She had been studying the crowd intently the entire time she was eating, and she now excitedly set down her food and pointed to someone in midst of the people.

"Kenneth! Look! The masters are here!!"

* * *

HI. I have no school today and tomorrow. Isn't it awesome? Those who are waiting for Cassie and Kenneth to officially become a couple, I'll tell you now; it won't happen until at least they are halfway through the first semester of high school, which is like October. And it's summer now, so....Do you want me to time skip? Cause I plan to...

Oh, and I am going to start a poll. Please take part. Should Kenneth learn the Rozuzansei or the Ryuumaken? Final decision is up to me though. And I suppose this does make it obvious that he's gonna learn a technique, haha.

-Hulkishpower


	12. The Ball: The Challenge

Disclaimer: Naruto doesn't belong to me. He belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

Updated: 1/24/10

NOTE: I made a poll, but it's closed now. THIS CHAPTER IS AGAIN IN **_ENGLISH!!_** I REPEAT, **_ENGLISH!!!! _**

* * *

"Look Kenneth! It's the masters!"

Cassie's excited voice was drowned in the chatter and in the music. Still, Kenneth's head trailed to follow the direction she was pointing at.

Far away in the crowd, almost on the opposite side of the wall, stood a dazzling woman with black, glossy hair, and skin like cream. She had a mysterious, slightly adult/coy little half smile on her lips, and she wore a loose, wrap dress that immensely complimented her gorgeous legs. Her hair was let loose except for a single braid running down the sides. She was insanely beautiful.

Standing next to her, claiming one of her hands in the crook of his arm, was a black haired man who was wearing a black tuxedo to match, and his black, coal eyes held warmth and laughter from seeing his family after such a long time. At the sight of them, Matthew abruptly stood up from his seat, and to Kenneth's surprise, marched straight up to them and kneeled on one knee in greeting. Bowing his head, he said, "Welcome back, Master."

Kenneth, pulled by Cassie and Andrew, soon joined Matthew and the couple. "Welcome back Mrs. Yeon! Oh, and welcome back Mr. Yeon!"(except for Matthew they call her by her name) Cassie exclaimed.

The stunning woman, deigned "master," and her husband laughed delicately. "Thank you, all. Please get up, Matthew. It's been a long time since I saw any of you. How are you all doing? Oh, and I trust you haven't been lax in your training?"

"Of course," Matthew nodded. Her demure eyes then focused on Kenneth.

"This boy...you are Kenneth?" she asked.

Kenneth, surprised that she knew his name, hurriedly bowed as well. "Yes, I am Kenneth. How...?"

"Scott has told me about you. He said you had great potential," she said softly, her eyes glinting.

"Thank you, I really don't deserve this praise," Kenneth replied modestly. Then, an unfamiliar, deep voice answered.

"Oh, but I'm sure that you do," turning around, the group saw a long, black haired man with the most calm, mature look. He too, wore a black suit to go with his black eyes. At the sight of this man, Cassie gasped and ran forward.

"Master!!" she gushed and jumped to hug him. The man chuckled.

"Now, now, Cassie, how were you?" he gently hugged her back.

Stepping back, Cassie bent down and kneeled, just like Matthew had done, and gave her master a bow. "I have been well, Master. You don't know how pleased I am to meet you!"

"I have missed you as well, Cassie. And hello, Andrew, Matthew, and..Kenneth," the brothers gave him a slight bow. The master looked at the female master and her husband. "and...it's been awhile, Yeon." he said, addressing the both of them at the same time. Mrs. Yeon smiled a little smile. "Hello, Gyul, it has indeed been a long time. You've been traveling for a long time in the Ninja world. You never came to visit,"

"Sorry about that, I was busy," he chuckled softly and turned his gaze onto Kenneth. Kenneth felt like shrinking at the man's calm, welcoming, but somewhat piercing gaze. The man shuffled forward.

Putting a hand on Kenneth's shoulder, he scrutinized his body structure. "Boy, you...if you were to learn one of our techniques, you would adapt to them most excellently. It is a sad thing that you are evidently not for my style, however. Do you have a technique in mind?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, that you have the ideal body structure to work with Jinki. Should you be accepted as a successor, you would be able to adapt to the technique far better than ordinary people," Master Gyul spoke in a calm, rational manner. "Your structure...suits you for the Rozuzansei, if Shuu is here..."

"What do you want with me, Gyul?" a feminine voice rang out behind the group. Startled, everyone jolted, as a dark skinned, coy smiling woman wearing the tightest burgundy dress ever appeared. As soon as Andrew caught sight of her, his eyes began to glitter in ecstasy.

He elbowed a slightly gaping Kenneth in the ribs. "Hey, that's HER!!! The master of the Rozuzansei!!"

The dark skinned woman turned to look at Kenneth. "Hmph, so you are the newbie. Show some respect boy!!"

"Ex-excuse me," he immediately stopped staring at her and bowed his head.

Her lips curled. "A nice, quick, answer. I think I like you! What's your name again?"

"It's Kenneth,"

Cassie's master spoke up. "Actually Shuu, we've been thinking that Kenneth here has the perfect physique for fighting with the Jinki,"

"This brat?" she raised her eyebrows. "I suppose, though I bet that one kick from me and he'd be sprawling, haha!" she evilly grinned. Kenneth narrowed his eyes at the comment. He was a proud Jounin of Konohagakure and no master, skilled or not, was going to mock him this way! But still, he should keep to himself....

Master Shuu snorted. "Of all the ninja I've seen in the Ninja world, Konoha has the stupidest ninja. I hear that they're pretty much useless for the first two to three years after they become one! Why they bothered to send one of their cronies that can't even land a proper kick, I have no idea."

_That's it!_ Kenneth thought. _Screw with pleasantries and discreetness! _

Looking hard into her dark eyes, he narrowed his own mockingly. "I'm pretty sure I CAN stand up to your kicks, low quality as they are," he retorted, causing Cassie, Matthew, and Andrew to retreat back a few steps and to widen their eyes in fear and shock. _Is he crazy?! _They all thought simultaneously.

The master of the Rozuzansei was known for her love of pretty things and her twisted way of bullying those she thought was beneath her. One of the reasons why Andrew admired her was because she was never scared of anything, and also because she was the only one to have had the guts to smack him in front of Karen, who happened to be a bit overprotective.

The tanned lady bent down a bit to match Kenneth's height. "Did you say something, Blondie? Even if you are rather pretty, I won't hesitate to break you," she menacingly said.

Kenneth inwardly gulped. The subtle killer intent she was unleashing was admittedly frightening. But he put up a calm, disinterested face and said, "You don't scare me,"

The two of them locked in an intense eye fight as lightning crackled between their line of sight. Finally, she straightened up and burst in mad laughter. Cassie and her brothers warily eyed each other in worry that she had finally gone insane.

"Boy, you've got some spunk! I really do like you, though I don't take back what I said. You ARE weak, and you WILL go flying after one kick,"

Kenneth squared his shoulders. "No I won't. I'll bet you that I can stand up to you fair and square. Even without ninja techniques, I can beat you without using my chakra and simply hand to hand combat and other gifts that I have," then, Kenneth, on a wild impulse, smirked confidently, reached up and tapped his forehead. "That includes this, a BRAIN, which you unfortunately seem to be lacking, despite your title as a master," as soon as those words left his lips, Kenneth inwardly cursed at his foolishness, and shivered.

Everyone within earshot gasped at his statement, their jaws clanging on the ballroom floor. No one, and really, NO ONE dared to mess with Master Shuu. Her personality and reputation made sure of that. She was the kind of person to which parents would make references to when trying to scare their kids; saying, "If you are being bad, Master Shuu will come and get you!" She made crying babies stop crying.

Anyone who was stupid enough to stand against her was thoroughly ridiculed. She had the strength, the authority, and the looks to beat up anyone who crossed her way. Thankfully, she lived in the Ninja world most of the time, and so not many Uzumaki had to put up with her. Truthfully, they wondered what kind of man would be brave enough to ever try to go for her.

The same could be said with her future student; who would be brave enough to become her apprentice and bear her training that will most likely turn out to be torturous?

Shuu's eyes slitted dangerously. She wasn't joking anymore. The temperature around them dropped a few degrees. "I'll hold you to that comment, Blondie,"

With a rustling of fabric, she was now facing away from the group. "Tomorrow," she called out, "during our annual sparring time, I'll challenge you to that statement. I'll be looking forward to our match, _brat_," and just like that, with a rush of the double doors, she was gone.

Master Yeon chuckled lightly. She had grown up with Shuu, and though they had never become closer than that of casual acquaintances, she knew her well. The boy, Kenneth, sure had a lot of guts picking a fight with her.

"I wish you luck in your fight. My husband and I too, must leave now. I'll see you all tomorrow at the spars. Oh, and Matthew, please prepare to train; I'll be taking you with me to the Ninja world after all this is over. It's time you advanced in your training,"

Matthew bowed. "Yes, master," The couple smiled courteously, then made their way over to the doors, gracefully walking out of the ballroom. Cassie turned to Kenneth.

"Kenneth! What were you thinking? Antagonizing her like that?!" The blonde didn't respond. "Uh, Kenneth?"

Kenneth was frozen in place, his face white, hands trembling. "Just what did I do..?" he asked blankly.

Andrew sympathetically patted his arm. "You just dug your own grave,"

* * *

The rest of the evening proceeded without any other major occurrences. Gyul, to Cassie's loud protests, decided to leave for his own home, saying that he did not wish to be there for the spars. He smiled lightly at Kenneth's stunned face for a bit, then wished the blonde luck and smoothly walked out of the ballroom, the butlers gracefully bowing down to him as he swept by. Cassie waved goodbye, and Kenneth remained in a state of shock for about five minutes, then snapped out of it and began pacing.

"What am I gonna do? What am I gonna do?" he muttered, "I can't use any jutsus, no chakra, and maybe I'll be able to use spiral explosions as an exception, but against her, that won't work...I can't use a blade yet...wuahhh!"

"Calm down. You told her that you have a head, so use it!" Matthew patiently said.

Kenneth tilted his head.

"Does that mean I have a chance of winning?" he asked hopefully.

Andrew grinned. "Nope, not a chance. Even if you are a Jounin, you won't be able to follow her. Especially not if she's pissed like that,"

Kenneth groaned. "Ugh, I really shouldn't have lost control like that,"

Cassie patted his arm. "Don't worry, you can still use spiral explosions! And since you are a Jounin, you have pretty awesome taijutsu, right? Technically, she can't use her Jinki, either, because it won't be fair. But even without the Jinki, her kicks are dangerous, and she'll most likely power them with spiral explosions of her own to compensate, so watch out for those and use the hit and run tactic!"

Kenneth mumbled, "I don't know if I'm fast enough...."

Matthew said, "Nonsense. Even if you haven't trained very much ever since you got here, I can tell that you're naturally built for speed. When I first saw you, I saw how lightly you stepped on the ground. I've never really seen you run full out, but I'm sure that you're pretty fast, even for a Jounin,"

"You think so?"

"Definitely. If you feel like you need it, we can go to the Ninja world right now, and train? There, you can use your chakra to make bunshins, and it'll multiply your progress," Matthew turned to the rest of his siblings. "How 'bout it?"

Cassie and Andrew grinned maniacally. "Let's do it,"

Matthew turned to Kenneth. "Kenneth?"

The blonde sighed. Then, he clenched his hands to a fist. "Yeah, let's go,"

"Whoo! I've never been to the Ninja world at night!" Cassie spun around.

"We should hurry and change out of our clothes, then, let's go home," Matthew told them. But Cassie, she cried.

"No, we can't go yet! We still didn't see the Master of the Ryuumaken! We have to see him!"

"Cassie, we can see him tomorrow," Andrew said patiently.

"Not if he's not coming! And from my experience, he NEVER comes to our spars. He thinks they're a waste of time. If Kenneth wants to find a master, he needs to see him!"

Andrew rolled his eyes. "Alright, alright. Let's go ask Dad where he is,"

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"HE LEFT?!" The four teens yelled. Scott flinched at the sound. Many Uzumakis who were dancing paused and looked at the group. Karen quickly stood up and smiled kindly, waving her arms to let them know that nothing was wrong. The clansmen instantly relaxed and went back to dancing and chattering, the orchestra switching to a much livelier tune.

Scott cleared his throat. "Yes, that's right. Yong (That's the master's name) came at the heat of the party, about twenty minutes ago, when you were all still dancing, gave me his regards, and then told me that he would not be staying for the spars. He said that he would go back home now, for some reason I don't know. He did say that his wife was sick, and that his baby daughter was crying, so perhaps that's why,"

"Oh no, his wife!" Cassie put her hands together at her heart. "I hope she's okay! She's such a lovely person...so kind!"

"Yeah...he had a kid? Hmm, well that's news," Andrew said.

"It's ironic that him, the most brusque and rough person in the Uzumaki clan, managed to find such a gentle, kind-hearted wife. I hear that he's really soft towards his wife, unlike the way he treats the rest of us," Matthew added.

"Well then, I suppose Kenneth can't meet him then, huh?" Cassie said sadly. Then a bright idea popped into her head. "Hey dad, you saw Miss. Shuu today, right? Does she have a place to stay?"

Scott looked puzzled. "Yes, I did see her..no she doesn't have a place to stay. Why?"

Cassie smiled. "Because she said that she'd be attending the spars! And if she doesn't have a place to stay....can she stay with us?"

Karen gasped. "Honey! You want Shuu to come and stay in our house?" she looked horrified at the thought.

Andrew cut in giddily. "Yeah! Why not? Make an offer to let her stay overnight! It's a wonderful opportunity for Kenneth to gather some information on her!"

The parents looked befuddled. "Why do you need to gather information?"

The siblings shared a dark, humored look. "That's a secret."

* * *

"Here, catch," Andrew threw a wooden sword to Kenneth, who caught it easily despite the darkness of the night. In the forest miles away from Konoha, only the moonlight allowed a faint glimmer on the redheads' faces. The stars were barely visible under the thick canopy, but out here on the clearing, they were shining brightly. He took in a deep breath. _Home..._

He was so close to home...Konoha. He had come to think of the Uzumaki as his family, but who could resist that longing for the place where they were born? The scent of the place that had raised him, fed him, taught him? Nothing would ever replace that, even if he had another place where he belonged now.

A sharp pang went through his heart. If he ran full speed right now, he'd be at the gates in less than thirty minutes. He could visit Kakashi, Jiraiya, Rin, Obito, Sandaime-sama....

"Oi, Kenneth! You listening to me?" Andrew yelled, annoyed. He slung his own wooden sword across his shoulders.

Kenneth snapped out of his trance. "Yeah! Sorry! What were you saying?"

Andrew coughed. "I was saying, that what we need to focus on right now is your swordsmanship in the Uzumaki style,"

Kenneth furrowed his eyebrows. "Why?"

Cassie spoke up. "I can explain! It's a nice story," Andrew nodded his approval.

She started to talk. "Long time ago, when Miss. Shuu was still a child, she, um, apparently had no talent with the blade,"

"WHAT??"

"Yeah, I know. And I suppose that's kind of sad, you know? Because the blade is sort of the symbol of the Uzumaki's strength...and every clan member is required to have at least some knowledge of wielding it. Well, Miss. Shuu couldn't swing a sword to save her life, and so when some of her cousins made fun of her because of that, she used to just go and kick them and beat them up till they said sorry. And it turns out that the previous master of the Rozuzansei saw exactly what she was looking for in her, and made Shuu her apprentice!"

"...That's wonderful," Kenneth said doubtfully.

"Isn't it? So basically, swordsmanship is her weak point! Not to mention you'll have a longer reach with a sword than just your fists,"

Kenneth raised his arm, confused. "But, how am I gonna get good enough in one night to fight her?"

At this, the three redheads giggled. "With kage bunshin of course," Matthew said, his lip curling. "You know the secret, right?"

The blonde scratched his head. "...yeah?"

"We'll first debrief you on the basics, then you can make two clones, and we'll tutor you guys separately," Andrew decided.

Kenneth nodded his own agreement. "Okay. So...what's first?"

Andrew walked up to the center of the clearing. "The basis of the Uzumaki style is the fluctuation, spiral explosions, and footwork," He called out. Then his voice shifted into a much serious one. "Listen carefully Kenneth. These three points are the most important parts of the Uzumaki style. If you have these down, then even if you go ahead and make up your own form it will still come out amazing. It will still be, 'Uzumaki-ryu,' even if it was improvised. The form isn't really the main point of the sword style.

"The form is only important because when we integrate the spiral explosions to the slashes, our forms are the most easiest to carry them out. Other than that, the rest falls to footwork and fluctuation,"

"..What do you mean by fluctuation?" Kenneth asked curiously.

Andrew shook his finger. "I was getting to that. Fluctuations are when we sense the Jinki beneath our feet pulse. We follow the flow of movement when the Jinki pulses, and we use it to time our Iaido attacks and some of our forms/explosions. Get it so far?"

"I get it with my head but not with my body," Kenneth rubbed his neck sheepishly.

"That will be fixed soon enough," Andrew smiled evilly.

Matthew too, moved up to the front. "Take your shoes off, Kenneth. It's time you got into sensing the Jinki. Oh, and make some clones. Andrew is the best at the Uzumaki style because the Hijutsu is a hand to hand combat style, so he'll be the one to teach you on the forms. Cassie and I, on the other hand, are not as good at the Uzumaki-ryu compared to Andrew because our special techniques are sword types. So I'll teach you about Jinki, and Cassie can teach you about the usage of chakra spirals,"

"Okay," Kenneth made a hand seal and two other clones puffed to life. At the slight sensation of his chakra molding, then dividing, he let out a soft breath. It's been too long since he was allowed to use chakra like this, even with the spiral explosion practice. Those were fun to do, and the more and more he did them, the better he got, and he loved to see such visible progress, but he only practiced with them with his hands or feet, not anywhere else...yet. And the more he practiced the less chakra he had to use to create a strong explosion, and so it got less and less strenuous as time went by. He never felt that exhaustion that came with hard training.

He silently made his way over to Andrew, while his clones both walked off with Cassie and Matthew. _Shoot, he should have just went with Cassie... _"Alright, let's get you ready for tomorrow's match, shall we?"

Andrew launched a sudden attack, slashing through the air, so smooth and quick, Kenneth hardly had any time to defend. Because it was so dark, and the fact that a mast like Andrew had been attacking him, Kenneth was barely able to bring his sword up to where his gut instinct pointed him to.

'thwack!'

The ringing sound hurt Kenneth's ears. His hands buckled, and the strength did not loosen up from the intense slash of Andrew's sword. "H-hey, what are you doing?!?"

"Nice reflexes and instinctual movement, but here's lesson number one. In the Uzumaki style, when placed in a situation like this, you always take a few steps back!" Andrew pushed more strength into his blade.

"Alright, alright!" Kenneth quickly took some steps back. Andrew was forced to release the power he had channeled through his sword in order to not trip and fall forwards.

He slung his sword on his shoulders again. "Now follow me the best you can in this darkness,"

"This is the first form of the first chapter of the first book of the first Uzumaki style," he said, "Take up your sword in both hands, then, bend your knees, like this,"

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Cassie, and her clone, were going over the process of channeling spiral explosions through the wood. They made a lot of noise, as the explosions created a lot of booms and their yelling didn't really help to silence the noise. Fortunately, Andrew's group with the real Kenneth was making just as much noise, and so it wasn't really a problem.

"I never knew you could do these kind of things with a sword," Kenneth commented as he demonstrated a slash attack powered with the spirals on a tree.

"There's more to it! You can repel an attack by focusing an explosion right at that site! Right now, you can only do them in your hands and feet, but soon, you'll be able to do them all over," Cassie put a finger on the base of his spine. "This is the core spot to where if you land a spiral, it will automatically disable an opponent, for life. So be careful when using a spiral,"

Clapping the blonde on his shoulder, she cried, "Now do a thirty-six hit combo on that tree!"

Boom. Bang. Smash.

XXXXXXXXX

On the other hand, very much unlike his siblings, Matthew and the clone was sitting on a giant rock with their eyes closed. They were calmly breathing in and out, occasionally Matthew would point out little fluctuations in the rocks but other than that, they were very relaxed and meditative. The noises that came from both directions from Andrew and Cassie's party didn't even affect the two at all. In this way, the siblings prepared Kenneth for the match tomorrow.

* * *

After some hours, the night was now obviously deep into midnight, and Kenneth was starting to become tired in more than one ways. First, Andrew kept on tugging at his legs, forcing him to do splits more than once (to his screech), then Cassie made him continuously fire off spirals, which gave his clone chakra exhaustions, and lastly, Matthew's insistent mental concentration drained him of his energy. He still wasn't able to tap into the Jinki, but now, he could at least feel some of the fluctuations in the ground. Unlike the redheads, he wasn't good enough yet that he could feel them even with his shoes on, but he sure could feel them barefoot. It was a big leap, and he first had to activate his seal to feel it, but he soon got the hang of it and was able to feel them without the seal. Matthew had been most impressed.

Although the it was very late, the redheads made sure that Kenneth recalled all his clones, and then to try utilizing everything he learned in one body. It was fascinating how quickly he had learned, but it gave him a major migraine. He wasn't gonna train this way ever again. It had worn him out too, very much, in fact. Too much for his liking. His chakra capacity, big as it was, couldn't handle that much hardcore training while split into three.

Andrew tapped his sword on the dirt and gravel.

"Kenneth, do the first form," Andrew instructed.

"Don't forget that you time it with the fluctuations," Matthew chastised.

"And don't forget the spirals when you are met with a standstill!" Cassie added. She nervously knotted her fingers. He'd better remember everything she taught him today! And he'd better not get hurt!

"Okay, here I go," Kenneth took a deep breath and relaxed his shoulders and bent his knees the way he was taught to. Then, he focused carefully on the ground below him, and waited for the first pulse.

Ba dum!

_There!_ He quickly sidestepped, his left foot moving over his right, and then his right foot leaned forward and took a quick step that was followed by a step from the left with his wooden sword slashing outwards, the slash perfectly timed with the second pulse. The redheads, all experts on feeling the pulse, saw that Kenneth was performing exceptionally well, and all grinned.

It was really fun teaching the blonde when he soaked up the lessons like water to a sponge.

The redheads shared a look as Kenneth continued his his forms, once again timing a slash perfectly with the next pulse.

Maybe...just maybe... the master of the Rozuzansei had met her match after all. The way Kenneth was right now, with his fast coming sword strikes that still needed some attention but were still profoundly good, and that which will grow even more when they get up early next morning and train some before the spars...

She'd better beware.

* * *

Hi. I got my report card!! All As, and I hope it doesn't sound like I'm bragging. hehe, well, I hope you liked the chapter. If you have any questions please review. I recently read this really, low quality fanfic that was about 500 words long, and the author didn't even have the decency to put spaces between his words. I saw some of his reviews and WOAH, it was harsh! I'm glad none of my readers out there don't think my writing is terrible and that you guys don't flame at me like crazy like that. I mean, it was the "F" word all over!

Thanks for reading. Please comment. I was overjoyed to see that I got **_5_** reviews in one chapter last time. yay!


	13. The Fight

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. This means that Minato is not mine, however sad that makes me.

UPDATED: **1/31/10**

NOTE: Sorry about not updating for so long, but I had been writing another fanfic (oneshot) that happened to just flash across my mind and I just had to write it down!! Well, here you go.

Later, when they talk in **Japanese**, it's **BOLDED. I know it's the opposite of before but still understand! What's better, bold the entire, English section or the tiny, miniscule Japanese section? (That does not mean I'm talking in Japanese right now though :D)**

**

* * *

  
**

In the Ninja world...

The air zoomed past the three lone figures up top of the woods. Moving with speed and agility, jumping from branch to another, it took one glance at them to figure out that they weren't civilians. However, as for the time being, the three of them were using a route that no one used very much, and so naturally there was no one to witness their travel—the silver haired boy up front confirmed this with the lack of scent around the area.

They had chosen to take this route for the efficiency of their mission, which was a simple, tracking mission that consisted of a B rank criminal, involved with theft and occasional rape. Due to the fact that this mission was only supposed to be for tracking purposes, and that the team leader was already a Chuunin, the three of them had been sent despite their very young age. Currently, with Hatake Sakumo dead and many of the Inuzukas out on more important missions on distubances between the Fire country's and Rock country's borders, Hatake Kakashi was the only one available for the job.

Sprinting across the leafy tops, the young Chuunin paid no heed to his teammates, preferring to work in silence. The other two, a short, black haired boy and a brown haired girl made no comment, as silence was one key factors of secrecy. As quietly as possible, the three ninja made their way towards their target.

Suddenly, Kakashi swerved and jumped off the tree branch, landing quietly down at a lone clearing, surprising his teammates.  
**"Hey, what's going on?"** his loud, boisterous teammate Obito asked, making a tiny bit of effort to keep his voice under control.

"**Shh, Obito-kun, don't be so loud! Kakashi-kun, what's wrong? Should we take another path?"** Rin, their other teammate hesitantly asked. The silvery haired boy, staring at the patch of dirt in front of them wordlessly, raised a hand and motioned an "stop,"

Turning, he briskly walked past his confused team and jumped back up into the trees. "It's nothing. Let's get moving,"

Obito made a small, **"Che," **and some side comments, but Kakashi failed to hear him, as his mind was clouded with thoughts from the scent he had come across in that clearing.

_That was sensei's scent...sensei's scent..._ He fumbled, a bit lonely, and sad. Then, with silent anger, _sensei was here—he was here...but he didn't come see any of us! Not one! _

The rest of his flight was filled with one word,

_Sensei.._

_

* * *

  
_

Kenneth woke up precisely at seven am that morning, the sun already shining through the shutters. Thanks to the stretching exercises he did last night, his limbs didn't feel very sore, for which he was very glad at. _Thank goodness Jiraiya sensei and I went through a lot of intense training, or I wouldn't have been able to stomach yesterday's training,_ he thought.

Getting up and moving about, the blonde grabbed his wooden sword from yesterday and swung it about in a practiced motion. He smirked. Let's see how the lady would fare against him today!

Grinning, he walked to his bathroom and began to wash.

Presently, in a guest room downstairs, Shuu was just beginning to wake. She groaned and rubbed her face. She had really enjoyed the comfortable bed at the head's house. Back in her home in the waterfalls and caves of the Ninja world, she hardly had anything to match this generosity, although she undoubtedly lived in luxury. Her home had fantastic view of the gorgeous scenery, and she loved her home, but sometimes, she really wanted wooden walls around her. She gave a content sigh and snuggled back in.

Then she remembered; her challenge to the blonde brat last night. She smiled. He sure had a lot of guts, but that wouldn't change the fact that he'd sprawl across the dojo floor once she landed a kick on him. Unless the guy is really speedy, he wouldn't be able to dodge her attacks. Ooh, now she was really looking forward to this.

Still grinning, she got out of the bed and began to dress in her battle clothes.

The rest of the clan was rising. Moving about in a flurry, people quickly set up the dojo (or multipurpose room) for sparring. Laughing with mirth and gait, everyone looked forward to fighting with one another that afternoon. All of them, were looking forward to seeing a particular blonde fight. Everyone wanted to know what kind of ninja he was, and what he had done to deserve the clan head's trust.

Listening to the bustle underground, Cassie made her way up to Kenneth's room. Knocking, she called, "Hey, are you awake?"

Kenneth's muffled reply brought out a smile. "Yeah! I'm in the restroom!" She opened the door and walked inside. His room was impeccably clean, the textbooks set down neatly on his desk, his violin put away in its case, his clothes neatly folded and his wooden sword resting on the bracket above the headboard of the bed. The sun shining through lit up the bright colored room.

As Cassie looked about, Kenneth strode from the bathroom and grinned playfully at her. "Good morning," he called out brightly, one hand holding a limp towel and the other brushing back his damp bangs.

"Good morning!" Cassie replied back happily. "Today's the big day! I hope you remember everything we taught you last night,"

"Of course. It would take an idiot to not recall yesterday's training," Kenneth joked.

"Aren't you referring to yourself?" Cassie nudged him playfully.

Kenneth feigned mock horror. "Me?! You've got to be kidding!"

Bursting in laughter, the two made their way downstairs.

"Just don't forget the forms and the fluctuations..and don't forget to use your head. Do everything you can to get under her attack and defense..." Cassie trailed off as they came face to face with Shuu at the base of the stairs. "...um, good morning, Miss. Shuu,"

Shuu, blinked, then chuckled. "Good morning. What's up, blondie?"

Kenneth narrowed his eyes. "Please stop calling me that. I have a name, Kenneth Namikaze,"

"You'll always be blondie to me, sorry 'bout that, brat," she shrugged and pranced away into the kitchen for breakfast. Glaring slightly after her retreating form, Kenneth clenched his hands and boldly followed after her to eat breakfast; Cassie trailed worriedly.

At the table, Matthew and Andrew was already eating, and everyone looked up to see Kenneth approaching. Karen grimaced a bit at Shuu, but expertly hid most of it and served Shuu breakfast, with the most courteous smile she could manage. Scott and Andrew paid the tension going back and forth between the women no mind, but Matthew warily glanced at the elder generation.

Just as worried, Cassie sat down at her place next to Andrew. Kenneth, seething, sat down next to Matthew. Shuu, carrying herself as if all this uncomfortable pressure was unknown to her, lightly sat down at her own designated seat, and began to eat.

After breakfast, Kenneth picked up his wooden sword and began practicing again, gritting his teeth and promising himself to win, no matter what.

"WHOOO! GO MICHAEL! GO JENNIFER!" the clan roared in joint excitement as two clan members faced off with their wooden swords meeting with a loud thunk.

The two moved very quickly, and each disappearing in a flash of movement, exchanged a flurry of blows near the center of the dojo. Circling the two, the rest of the clan cheered for the both of them. Pausing mid-attack and gracefully twirling in the air to land several feet away from each other, the two opponents eyed each other ferociously.

In a flash, the two were once again fighting with all they had on the dojo floor.

Looking around, Kenneth was very impressed with what he saw. Everyone had their own swords, even the children, and the way the warriors handled themselves reflected a great deal of experience and strength.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Cassie said gleefully. "But I'm sure that the Hyuugas, with their more refined taijutsu, and the other noble clans of Konoha are much more skilled than we are!"

Kenneth, shook his head, befuddled. "No..that's not true. I have to say, your clan is full of very talented people...don't be so modest, Cassie,"

"You mean it?" Cassie raised her eyebrows skeptically. She didn't believe what Kenneth said. Honestly, the ninja clans in the Ninja world had to be better than her family! After all, they got to train and fight every single day! And they also have that thing called bloodline limits, which she has never seen before, but sounded cool just the same. Matthew said that it was a strange twitch of genetics. She didn't really get what he had said, but since she'll be taking Biology in the fall she'll understand it soon.

Kenneth nodded enthusiastically. "Really! Believe it! I am a Jounin of Konoha, yet you and your brothers can stand up to me just fine...and there I'm called a genius! All these other people in your clan, they can best me anytime they want, especially the masters. This means that almost everyone in the Uzumaki clan are Jounin level and above..and that's a seriously crazy feat, even for an elite clan. Even more so in your case, since you guys don't live in the Ninja world," The two of them settled themselves amongst the crowd to watch Michael and Jennifer face off.

"I still don't believe you....we don't even have a bloodline!" Cassie said stubbornly. Kenneth sighed over the roar of the clan.

"If you don't believe me, fine, but I'm telling the truth. See for yourself when we visit Konoha later,"

"Suuuuuuure~"

"I'm serious!"

The bellow of the crowd interrupted their talk. "JENNIFER IS THE WINNNNNNERRR!!!!" Cries, congratulatory yells, and boos decorated the basement walls. Michael, after talking a spiral powered slash to his stomach, got up using his sword as a crutch. He grinned painfully at Jennifer who in turn laughed playfully and hugged him. The crowd whistled at this display of sportsmanship. Due to the fact that this was only a spar, no one was seriously hurt.

"Alright, next up--" an Uzumaki cousin of Scott called out, pausing to look at the list on a piece of paper, "Next up is—Kenneth versus Miss. Shuu~~~!!" The crowd burst in an ear-splitting roar. Kenneth gulped, his hand tightening around his sword. Cassie patted his back.

"GO KENNETH!!" Andrew jumped up and screamed from where he was standing next to Scott in his honorary seat. His voice was so loud that all the clan members were put to shame, and everyone stopped yelling in an instant and stared at the clan heir with shock.

A pin dropped.

Andrew, looking around, a bit fazed, hurriedly sat back down to mask his embarrassment. Scott shook his head in half shame/half humor. Eventually, everyone relaxed back into yelling and screaming....clapping as the master of the Rozuzansei made her way to the center of the jumble. She smirked confidently, then motioned with one finger for Kenneth to join her.  
"Come up here, blondie, or are you too scared to fight?" she mocked.

Bristling, Kenneth squared his shoulders. "As if," he retorted, marching up to face her. The Uzumaki exploded into yells and stomping of feet.

"BEAT HIM UP, BEAT HIM UP, BEAT HIM UP," the chanted, waving their sticks in the air. They abruptly stopped chanting at one glare from Cassie. "Er.....BEAT HER UP, BEAT HER UP, BEAT HER UP.." they began chanting again, to the red haired girl's satisfied smile.

"Whoo! Go Kenneth!" she screamed, Matthew, too cheered for the blonde.

"Go Kenneth!"

"Go Kenneth!"

Turning to salute them, Kenneth lifted his hand, then turned to face the smirking, tanned woman. "Here I come," he said, lowering himself to the first striking position.

"Watch out for my kicks, boy!" She cackled and leapt away, throwing her shoes aside. "I may not be able to use Jinki in this fight but my kicks will still pwn you good! HAHA!"

"We'll see about that," Kenneth muttered, kicking off his shoes as well. Then, the Scott's cousin shuffled forward with a red flag in his hand.

"Ready....GO!" he swung his arm down...and at the same time, the two jumped off the ground.

Kenneth gritted his teeth as the jump didn't take him very far up into the air without chakra, but had to quickly block the leg that was coming towards his face fast. Shuu, who had jumped up at the same time, used her aptitude with legs to leap higher, and so gain the advantage. She set her body in position, and swung her right leg toward the yellow mass.

Hardly having time to think anything, Kenneth swiftly brought his sword up into a defense position..recalling when Andrew had hit him above the head in a similar style. Shuu's eyes widened when she felt her leg coming in contact with wood, and not with flesh as she anticipated. _He's fast! He saw through my move and had already readied himself to block it._ _This boy..is no ordinary Genin, nor is he a Chuunin..but he can't be a Jounin, not at such a young age! _

Kenneth seeing the slight disturbance in her concentration, brought up his sword from the defensive position and carefully landed on the ground, shifting so that his legs moved apart and poised to spring just like Andrew had taught him. Then, focusing on the ground beneath him, he waited for the pulse.

Shuu, as she too, fell to the ground, saw the blonde already set in position with his sword raised above his head, carefully waiting to strike. _He's got something up his sleeve...but I won't let him finish whatever he's planning!_ Instead of pulling her feet back to cushion her fall, she placed a leg out in front of her to aim another kick at the blonde.

Kenneth, focusing, and carefully assessing the moment with a hard eye, watched as Shuu was just about to land on him with a hard kick. Though his instincts told him to move, to run out of harm's way, he stayed put, and concentrated on the flow of energy below him. Shuu got closer, closer...._there!_

Feeling the pulse tickle against his bare feet, he shifted his weight from his back legs to his front, swinging the wooden sword with textbook accuracy, taking a few more steps to make the blow more powerful. To any trained Uzumaki swordsmen, it would have been obvious that Kenneth was going to use the 2nd form of the first chapter of the Uzumaki-ryu, and would have dealt with the upcoming blow accordingly, but Shuu, who couldn't hold a sword to save her life, couldn't predict the movement. However, she was still far from being beaten by Kenneth, as she simply changed her position to let her legs gently lower her to the ground, then she rushed forward with a upwards kick.

Kenneth gasped internally as Shuu fluidly dodged his attack. As the kick came closer, Kenneth used his agility to try and dodge most of the attack..._shoot! _He cursed mentally as he couldn't bring himself to fully escape the kick..and as a result his sword flew out of his hands and spun through the air.

"Ha! That'll get you----!" forced to step back and counter with another kick as the blonde didn't even flinch at the loss of his sword and charged straight on without breaking stride, Shuu gracefully dodged the flurry of blows that Kenneth threw her way. _The boy's definitely not Chuunin!_ She thought furiously as one of her kicks were easily blocked by his elbow and one fist came soaring straight to her jaw. _Crap...! _she thought as she was taken off guard and felt the fist connect with her face. She was more experienced than he was, but her attacks were mainly based on her leg kicks, and therefore Kenneth had the upper hand in overall taijutsu. Her drawback was that if Kenneth got close enough that she couldn't use her kicks, she was virtually defenseless. Normally, Jinki made such a feat impossible, but right now, she was forbidden from using Jinki, and so it revealed her handicap.

Although his sword was out of his hands, Kenneth was truthfully more comfortable with this way of fighting, and the stunt with the sword had proved it's usefulness. By coming at her with the weapon, he had been able to analyze her reactions and come up with the best attacking method possible. It had also given him an opening to attack head on when she was shocked at his lack of response from the loss of his sword. All in all, she had underestimated him pretty badly, and now she was paying for it.

It seemed that she didn't use her hands at all in fighting, and she did move her legs pretty fast...but if he were to somehow disable her legs then he'd be able to win. All it will take will be some careful coordination and a plan...he flung himself to the left as a sweeping kick was attempted. He blocked the kick with his arm, but...boy did it hurt! _She must have extra powered that kick with spirals!_

He mentally chastised himself for being so careless when he'd just been thinking about being more guarded. He'd now have to dodge all attacks, than just blocking them. Even blocking her kicks caused him harm.

Shuu, seeing the pain flit across his blue eyes, grinned. She was sweating a bit from the continuous surprise attacks and hard-to-counterattack punches. She ducked under a punch and threw a roundhouse kick, aiming for his head, but he too ducked and countered with his own spiral charged kick.

She blocked his kick with another kick of her own, powered with her own spiral to negate the affects. Their legs met in midair, Kenneth squinting a bit from the pain, as he was not as hardened to leg techniques as she was. She quickly pulled her leg back, and taking a few steps toward the blonde, walked right up the Jounin before he could retaliate and kicked him in the gut, fully powered with a spiral.

Kenneth who had barely been recovering from the sharp pain that assailed him from the kicks, saw Shuu zoom right up to his frame, but couldn't do anything to stop her kick. _I can't dodge..!_ he thought, clenching his jaw. He saw everything in slow motion, the kick coming straight for his stomach...the slight wisps of chakra forming around her soles as an indication of a spiral...and gasped as the kick connected with his abdomen.

"Gah!" he spat out blood as he literally felt the spiral carve into his belly with eye popping force. The pain made his ears ring, and he fell to his knees, coughing up more blood.

Shuu, panting, let her legs dangle from the position she kicked Kenneth in. her eyes widened as she saw him spew blood from his lips. The crowd stopped cheering almost instantly..and worried looks filled every face in the dojo.

"You're not supposed to go that far in a spar!" a clan member yelled out, horrified. The other members looked just as aghast. Shuu, sweat forming on her brow, huffing, dazedly looked at Kenneth, letting her legs drop.

Karen jumped up from her seat.

"Kenneth!" she ran to his side.

"Kenneth!"

"Kenneth!" Matthew, Andrew, Cassie, and Scott all ran over to the panting blonde. John, Megan, and Michelle quickly joined them. Shuu, disgusted with herself for losing her cool and accidentally injuring the boy, ran up to Kenneth to see how he was.

"I'm so sorry, I got carried away! Are you alright?" she asked, panic creeping into her voice. _You idiot! You idiot! How could you do that?! In a spar no less! Don't you know that spirals give internal, and external damage? You could've messed up his organs!_

Kenneth coughed a bit more, then grinned up at the darker woman. "I'm fine, though that kick felt like my boss toad falling on top of me," The Uzumaki sighed with relief at those words.

"Hahaha! Looks like you're going to be fine Kenneth!" John bellowed and clapped him on the back.

Karen glared at her brother in law. "Don't manhandle him so! He still needs treatment, and I think it's best if we went to a hospital to check up on him,"

"That's right!" Megan crossed her arms and glared daggers at her husband.

John put his hands in front of him. "Woah! C'mon, I was just trying to lift the mood, kay? Sheesh,"

"Come on, Kenneth, let's go to a hospital and get you examined for any severe injuries," Karen gently helped Kenneth to his feet.

Kenneth coughed a bit more and wiped his mouth with his hand, "I'm fine--"

but Cassie cut him off. "Don't you even finish that sentence! You're going to a hospital!"

Kenneth groaned. He hated hospitals. He just hoped that they wouldn't have nurses that would try to grope him every chance they got.

* * *

"Woah! What is that?" Kenneth excited asked, pointing to the strange contraption with metal and plastic bound around it. After his extraordinary experience riding an automobile to the hospital, he was extremely fascinated by all the machinery he saw in the building. Despite the lack of medical ninjutsu, people still lived on just fine here with their own medical knowledge! If Tsunade were to have one day in this hospital, she would have field day trying to learn all that information. His stomach still hurt a lot, and there was a purplish, red spiral imprinted on his skin, but he was so sidetracked by all this technology, he couldn't care less about the pain.

Cassie sighed. "That's a X-ray, Kenneth. Please don't point. And if you're going to ask embarrassing questions like that, talk in Japanese so people won't understand,"

Kenneth switched to Japanese, **"What's an X-ray?"**

"**It's a ray that's smaller and thinner than the visible rays of light. Because it's smaller, it can penetrate more deeply into objects and things than visible light can," **Cassie patiently explained** "That machine can channel the X-ray into our bodies, giving us an accurate image of the inside of our body,"**

"**That's cool....hey what's that doctor doing?! He's cutting up the guy's skin!"**

"**I don't know much about medical things, but I've heard that when it's hard to resuscitate the heart by compressions and shocks, you have to literally touch his heart and massage it,"**

"**Won't the guy die?"  
"Not if they stitch him back up,"**

"**That's gross."**

"**Well, we don't exactly have ninjutsu to fix them right up, you know. Stitches do the job just fine, only slower."**

"**Won't they have to pull out the string later?"**

"**The string is made of some protein fiber that melts as time goes by. So no, they don't have to pull out the string. Now stop asking me all these questions and get in that room! The doctors said they were going to take an X-ray picture of you,"  
"I'm going to get X-rayed?"**

"**Yes,"**

"**That's....so COOL!!"**

Cassie sighed. Even if the blonde was clutching his stomach and limped, he sure didn't seem like he was hurt, other than that. It was a good thing that they were talking in Japanese, and that he wasn't pointing anymore. Sometimes Kenneth seemed just like a child when it came to new information.

"Don't you feel tired at all? I didn't even spar and yet I feel like a ton of bricks fell on top of me," Cassie rubbed her face, switching back to English now that they were in the examination room. Karen made herself scarce by talking with a nurse outside.

Kenneth grinned. "One reason why I'm not feeling beat up is because I still feel satisfaction at that I cornered one of the masters enough to make her lose control. Aren't you proud of me? I made that pompous lady apologize to me like that! Ha! The expression on her face!'

"Yet, it was still you who was pwned," Cassie remarked wryly.

Kenneth frowned. "You're ruining my happy moment, Cassie,"

"Whatever,"

"I suppose that due to all my ninja training I have a higher pain tolerance and endurance than normal. So even if I seem fine right now, I may just have a fatal injury!" Kenneth serenely announced. Cassie rolled her eyes.

Just then, the doctor came in with Karen in tow. A middle aged, brown haired American, he smiled a practiced, friendly smile and sat down on the chair. "Hello, Kenneth. I'm Dr. Robertson..."

XXXXXXXXXXX

"He has to stay overnight?! Really?" Cassie asked the doctor, amazed. The dark haired man furrowed his eyebrows.

"Can't you see this horrible bruise??" He half disbelievingly eyed Cassie. "along with this, he also has some internal hemorrhaging and organ damage. We must keep him on some drugs and sedate him as much as possible. It's a wonder he is conscious and able to move about. Don't you feel any pain, Kenneth?" he asked.

Kenneth shrugged. "Yeah, it hurts, but it's not so bad,"

Dr. Robertson looked incredulous. But he merely brushed it off as young age. "Please stay overnight, we have to further determine if you need more hospitalization," Muttering about how youths were so reckless these days and what in the world the blonde must have been doing to get such a strange shaped injury as he walked out the door, the doctor closed the door shut behind him.

Cassie, on the other hand, was shocked that Kenneth had such intensive injuries. _But, he was chatting and questioning about things all this time!_

Kenneth looked like Jiraiya had forced him to bathe with women. He hated hospitals!! But.._too bad,_ he supposed.

"Do you want us to stay with you overnight?" Karen asked warmly. Kenneth shook his head.

"It's alright. Please go home and rest. Thank you for bringing me here," he smiled, his blue eyes attempting to show some light.

Nodding, but unsure of his decision, Karen stood up. "Okay. Cassie and I will go home then. We'll come back early in the morning, so keep out of trouble and rest,"

Kenneth grinned from his bed and mouthed a 'bye.' he waved as the two redheads walked out the door. As soon as they were gone, he sighed explosively. He really hoped there weren't any deprived nurses here...

* * *

Late into the night...

Kenneth awoke to hear two voices approaching his door.

"Please wait! The visiting hours are over!" a nurse protested as the dark skinned woman in skinny jeans and leather jacket strode through the corridor.

"It's urgent. I need a word with the patient,"

"But he will be sleeping! He is in intensive care.."

"I know him and I promise he'll be awake. Your loud voice confirms it," The American nurse made an offended noise and rushed away to fetch the doctor.

He sat up in his bed, his faces scrunching a bit at the pain. The door opened, and the familiar figure of Shuu walked in.

Smirking, the master closed the door behind her. "Looks like I beat you up pretty badly, huh, brat?"

"Don't call me a brat please, Miss. Shuu. I think I have proven to you that I am capable of fighting as one of the Jounin of the village hidden in the leaves," Kenneth coldly replied.

Her smirk only became bigger. "I'll acknowledge that you can throw a punch...and a kick, all right. You impressed me quite a lot back before today afternoon, it didn't take me long to come up with this decision..." Seeing Kenneth lift an eyebrow she widened her smile even further and said, "But I don't take back what I said about your village. You know it's true. Konoha's Genin are pretty much useless for the first few years,"

Kenneth narrowed his eyes, but didn't speak. He understood what she was saying. It was true...to an extent. But in the end, Konoha ninja end up being one of the finest ninja of its time!

Shuu continued to speak, "That's why I'll give you a chance to change my views, blondie. I'll let you have a chance to make me recognize you and your village as a respectable force. I'll give you a chance to prove yourself to me, so that I'll no longer mock your village and stop calling you these names,"

Kenneth's eyes narrowed down to a more dangerous level. "What are you suggesting?"

"Become my apprentice,"

* * *

Hello. That was pretty long. I wrote it all in one day, so please excuse if I tend to repeat my words or if you see some grammar mistakes. Please flame and criticize and review!! Hope you liked it..

Hulkishpower


	14. School is Fun?

Disclaimer: Naruto doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

UPDATED: 2/21/10

* * *

"Be my apprentice,"

Those words rang again and again in his mind. What was he supposed to do now?

Kenneth sighed. Rubbing his face, he looked up at his bedroom ceiling, nothing really coming into view as it was dark. He'd been discharged more than a month ago, and still nothing had happened (He'd missed all the clan activities, though). After announcing this, Shuu...or _Master_ Shuu (as he was now obligated to call her) made a beeline to her home in the ninja world. He must have been out of his mind to accept that crazy offer.

Getting up, he reached over to his desk and picked up the worn out, traditional style book that was written in chinese. It was extremely old, and the thin pages felt like it would fall apart in his fingers, but Master Shuu had carelessly chucked the precious thing at him before leaving, saying "Memorize the entire book before I come back,"

The book, titled, Rozuzansei basic forms, was filled with simple movements that served as the basis for the Rozuzansei. He had already memorized all of it, now it just had to do with physical practice, but he'd need his "master" to incorporate them properly. However, with the way things were going, it didn't look like she wasn't going to be here for a while. It was now the end of August. September was rolling in, and school was about to start. He'd gotten very good at the spirals, and his kenjutsu was improving. Andrew, who was the best at the Uzumaki-ryu, always worked him till he hit the ground. Secretly, he had been working on that spiraling chakra technique he came up with a while ago. He had reached the point of condensing in his hand, but he couldn't make it spiral fast enough to really pack any kind of force. If he managed to make it whirl in many different directions speedily, his concentration on condensing it would go haywire and he'd lose control of the jutsu. That was one obstacle he would have to overcome.

School started tomorrow. He was rather nervous. He had all the spelling down and could talk more than fluently, but what if they didn't accept him?

Kenneth grabbed the tennis ball next to him and started throwing it up and down. Heh, last Sunday he'd finally managed to equally match Cassie's prowess. The look on her face when he slammed the ball right under her arm was priceless! It made him want to grab her and kiss her, but next thing he knew there was a ball planted firmly in his face. Cassie apparently didn't take his improvement as well as he did, because she then began to stomp her foot and chuck him more balls at high speed. Luckily he was able to dodge most of them.

As for Violin, he advanced to Suzuki Book 3 and was nearing the end of the book. He practiced fervently every day, so that he could catch up to Cassie, who was currently at CM (Certificate of Merit) level 9. He also practiced Piano a lot too, regularly as well as whenever he felt like it. As for his skill with swords.....well, he mastered Book 1-2, but Book 3 was proving to be troublesome. Everyone just kept on telling him to be "Musical," and "Graceful," and "feel like you're dancing!" and all that crap, but his body just didn't want to respond!! It was so frustrating that he'd almost thrown his sword down in utter annoyance.

Speaking of the sword, the clan forgers finished his blade. It was deep gray, with a shining black hilt and white/silver chords wrapped around it and a barely existent, darker gray guard with wave designs. It did not resemble a katana at all, and he had to remind himself that the Uzumaki-ryu wouldn't work with a katana. He loved his sword. It was always in its place above the headboard, ready to grab at a moment's notice.

He got to the point where he could now release sword ki (enhanced chakra) from the blade edge, making the attacks more long ranged and effective, but the forms were a pain in the butt to master. He not only had to watch out for his foot placement, but also time his slashes perfectly with simultaneous pulses from the ground, as well as making the moves as fluid and graceful as possible. Andrew went back to Boston to get ready for the new school year, and so there was hardly anyone who could provide him constant lessons in the Uzumaki-ryu. Cassie and Matthew were both apprentices of other sword techniques, and while they could still perform the Uzumaki-ryu to a certain degree, they certainly weren't masters at it, unlike Andrew.

Claudia, Cassie's best friend who lived on the other part of Bradbury, came over often and frequently went to the movies with Cassie. On most cases, he accompanied them, but sometimes he didn't, because he felt out of place among the two girls. The last thing he needed was Andrew on his tail for hanging out with the opposite sex.

He just hoped with all his heart that all the studying he'd done during the summer was enough for him to get by in classes. Especially, Algebra, and Language Arts. Oh, and for LA, he had to submit an essay on a particular prompt. He somehow managed to get into Honors English along with Cassie, but he knew it was just going to get harder.

His door creaked open, and Cassie peered in. "Hey Kenneth, you asleep?"

He immediately shuffled upright. "No, come in,"

She looked uncomfortable as she sat on the corner of his bed. "School starts tomorrow," she said sadly.

"Yeah.." he brushed off his shirt.

Cassie fidgeted. "I hope high school's not too bad. I'm really nervous, you know?"

He raised a brow skeptically. "Haven't you been going to school for a while?"

"That was middle school, silly. This is High School we're talking about. I'm kinda...scared. And nervous."

Kenneth turned his gaze to her face. She was looking off to the side at a spot on his wall, avoiding eye contact. He sighed and wrapped one arm around her neck, bringing her closer to his chest and hugging her with the other arm. "Me too," he admitted. She relaxed a bit in his embrace.

Then Cassie sighed. Moving out of his grasp, she stood up and walked to his door.

"See you tomorrow morning, don't forget we have to get up at five," she called softly.

He smiled a bit. "I won't."

XXXXXXXXXX

The alarm went off. "RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-----"

"Ugh!" Kenneth jerked off from the bed and roughly pushed back the covers. Reaching out he slammed his hand on his alarm clock. "IIIINNNNGGgg---" it sputtered as the sound choked away. He tired rubbed his face. What the heck? It felt like just a moment ago when he had fallen asleep after Cassie left. Looking towards his window, he saw that the sun wasn't even up yet. He so wanted to curse right now.

Swiftly getting out, he stumbled over to his bathroom and splashed some cold water on his face. He was now pretty awake, but not by much. Groggy, he walked out and pulled on jeans and a t-shirt. Covering up with a black sweatshirt, he opened the door and marched downstairs.

Cassie was sitting at the table, munching on some toast and cereal. He sat down and pulled a box of cereal to him. "Good morning," he muttered.

Cassie looked grumpy. "Rather, good dawn," she grimaced and kept on eating. The corners of his mouth went up a bit at that, but they continued to eat their breakfast in silence.

They left at 6:20.

* * *

The two got out of the car. Karen merrily called out, "Have a nice day!" but it was only graced by a low,

"...Kay" from Cassie and Kenneth, both with their violin cases and backpacks. Standing in front of the red brick walls in the run through drop off area, the two freshmen stared up at the entrance. It was still dark, and they could barely see the red brick clock tower standing tall next to them. Gulping, Cassie took Kenneth's hand and squeezed it...he couldn't help but notice how cold her hand was...and he squeezed back in return.

"You nervous?" he quietly asked.

She nodded. "Yeah,"

"Let's do this," and the two boldly stepped up into the school, fumbling with the campus map to try and find their zero period class in the scantily available light.

Finally, they came to a door marked, E106. The light was already on. There were other students inside the classroom, moving about, laughing at jests. There was a young, but head cleanly shaven man sitting in the corner of the room at his big desk, staring intently at the desktop in front of him. Above his head high on the wall, there were several banners reading "Speech and Debate."

Cassie motioned for him to go in, and he took a hold of the handle and opened the door for her to step through. As she walked in, he followed, and others turned to glance at them, then...

"Heya Kenneth, Cassie!" It was Johnny. He seemed nervous, incomplete without his life partner Lyndon and their perverted jokes. He had his hands firmly planted in his brown, UCSD sweater, and he was smiling a little, if not, forced smile.

"Johnny!" Cassie hurried over and rapped him on his arm. "How was summer?"

"Fun."

"Kenneth get over here. It was fun for us too. Claudia and I went to watch..." Kenneth shuffled over to her side.

"..oh that. I watched it too. It was really great," life was returning to Johnny's voice. "What about you Kenneth? How were you?"

The blonde shrugged. "Just fine, I guess. If you don't count that I was hospitalized,"

"Holy! You were hospitalized? How? When??" Johnny all of a sudden seemed resuscitated.

"He got beaten up by one of my relatives for being an ass," Cassie replied promptly. Johnny's mouth practically fell open with giddiness.

"Holy crap...REALLY?"

"NO!" Kenneth insisted. "She did not beat me up—it was an even fight,"

"You fought with a girl?" Johnny sarcastically furrowed his eyebrows. "Awesome Kenny, just awesome,"

Slightly disgruntled at his new nickname, Kenneth punched him lightly on the shoulder. "Hey, she was pissing me off, okay? And she picked the fight. It was purely self defense," well, that was not the truth, but family had creed that internal clan affairs were not to be discussed without more than half of the facts made up.

"Wow," Johnny shook his head and laughed. "I wish I was there to see you—being hit on enough to be sent to a _hospital!"_ he over dramatized the last word, adding on a exaggerated gesture with a hand to his heart.

The blonde grumbled as Cassie convulsed. Then the door swung open and the big, wide-set figure of Lyndon strode in. "Johnny!" he cried out, holding out a hand.

"Lyndon, 'sigh' finally! Why are you so late- I was going crazy waiting all by myself," Johnny's exuberant voice drowned to that of an exhausted tone.

Lyndon raised an eyebrow. He then peeked at his watch. "Dude, it's 6:40," then seeing Cassie and Kenneth, "Hi guys. Do you have any idea why this dude's like this?" he pointed to Johnny, who was resting his head against a desk.

The two shook their heads. "Nope," Cassie said.

Kenneth cocked his head. "Weren't you looking forward to this class? Cassie told me you were great at speech,"

Johnny looked up. "I guess," he said wearily. "I'm just shocked that I didn't see the sun this morning. That will take some time getting used to,"

Everyone else nodded with empathy. Then, all of a sudden, in a thick stream, people began walking in through the doors.

"Oh hey, Johnny and Cassie!" yelled one sophomore they knew from middle school. Many other sophomores called out hello. Their friends, Pavin, Anthony, Brian and Claudia joined them. Cassie squealed as soon as she saw her best friend and moved in closer to chat with Claudia.

The late bell rang, and everyone settled into a desk. The man at the table finally tore his gaze from his monitor and slowly, stood up, facing the students with an expectant gaze.

"Good Morning, everyone. I'm sure you know who I am by now," he gave a light, inviting welcome, "I'm Mr. Yilles, but while you're all part of this fantastic speech and debate team, you'll call me Kevin,"

Everyone whooped and cheered, while the freshmen still looked a bit nervous. Kevin continued, "during our school year, we'll be attending many competitions, and every one of you will be coming home with a trophy in hand. We are the second best speech team in the nation, while you a part of this speech team, lets make it our goal to be the first—to be the topmost team!"

Kenneth leaned in towards Cassie. "..are we really the second best team?"

"Yes," she softly replied. Kenneth raised his eyebrows.

Kevin finished with the introductions, and then smiling, said, "we're going to be doing an icebreaker to have everyone get to know each other better—I'm sure there are some seniors and juniors that don't know the freshmen or some of the newcomers. Let's clear out the tables,"

All of them stood and cleared away the desks, until only enough seats for the novice members remained. The JV arranged them into a circle in the center of the room and hesitantly, the novice sat down. The varsity and the JV stood in a circle around them, smirking evilly. Kevin clapped his hands. "Begin!"

Instantly, the upperclassmen circled the tables in a fast run, running round and round the novice. After a bit, Kevin called "stop!" in front of his seat, Kenneth saw a burly, dark skinned, skinny framed Mexican with a friendly smile. The said person coyly smiled at Kenneth, and walked up to his desk and sat on it with one bold move. Kenneth nearly jumped out of his seat.

The varsity took Kenneth's hand and began stroking it. "Helloooooo~" he winked. "I'm Charlie, who're you?"

It took Kenneth a moment to respond. "I'm Kenneth,"

"Oh, Kenneth, such a beautiful name," Charlie patted the blonde's hand. "Let's be the best of friends!"

"Uh, sure..." Kenneth mumbled and quickly slid his hand out of the weird person's hands. Then the circle continued to move and Charlie went on to talk to someone else. He let out a relieved sigh.

* * *

1st Period- Orchestra.

Cassie and Kenneth both made their way into the orchestra room, which was situated far away from the rest of the classrooms. As soon as they walked inside, a barrage of hellos in different languages greeted them, all spoken by the same person.

"Hello! Ne-haoma, Boussi, an-young, konnichiwa, Gootn Tahc, Hola, HELLO!!!" cried Mr. Enekado. He was a tall, fairly wide man who was very loud. There was no one else in the cluttered room. The two teenagers both gulped.

"Hello?" Kenneth said, looking around carefully.

"HI! This is the orchestra room!" Mr. E yelled. "When there are band people in it, it's, THE Band ROOM!"

"Okay," Cassie said, unsure of what else to say. The two then went to sit at some of the chairs in the middle of the room. A minute later, other students started to come in, but when the late bell rang, only around 15 people were in the room, quite a small number compared to a normal class. Wondering what was going on, everyone looked very fidgety as Mr. E launched into his hellos once again.

Kenneth thought, _is this the norm for teachers in America? _

_

* * *

  
_

2nd Period- Language Arts

He was nervous. This was his first honors class. Cassie gave him "the look," once he started to cough and look around like he was trying to postpone going into the classroom. Well, he wasn't really trying to postpone it—more like he was gathering up his mind to prepare for constructive education?

But now he was inside with 30 other people all looking shiny and happy and nervous to find out how hardcore their honors teacher would be. Shiny, because they earned it, happy because they're a part if of it, and nervous because of the workload.

Granted, the moment Mrs. Doschie walked to the front of the class from her office and opened her mouth, everyone knew they were in for some large quantities of homework. Even if the teacher was thin with short red hair, she was tall, almost as tall as Mr. E, and could be very intimidating with her questions on character analyzation.

Kenneth peeked over to where Cassie was; she was sitting at a table far away from him, in the corner. With her was Johnny, Pavin, and another girl he didn't know. But it seemed like she knew all of them, because she went to school with them last year. Him, on the other hand, didn't know anyone except for Johnny, Pavin, Anthony, Lyndon, and Brian and Claudia, and only the first two were in honors English. Because of that, he was stuck in a table with three other people he has never seen before in his life.

Pausing mid speech, Mrs. D walked back into her office to retrieve some materials. Kenneth glanced at his classmates. "Hi, I'm Kenneth," he quietly introduced himself to the girl sitting next to him as well as the other boy on his other side and another girl across.

"Hey, I'm Anna," The girl next to him smiled good naturedly. She had a easy going expression and her attire and hair was neat and appropriate. Her stuff that was on the table was neatly organized and stacked into piles.

"Hi, I'm Patrick," the only other boy raised his hand in greeting. "I've never seen you before," he commented.

"Oh yeah, I come from far away, from a different school," Kenneth hastily supplied. The others nodded in understanding.

"I'm Naomi," the last girl -the one sitting across from him- shyly murmured. This girl was as tall as him, but was very skinny. She looked familiar...

"Hey, are you in colorguard?" he asked. "I have orchestra first period and I think I might have seen you when you were putting away your stuff,"

she blushed. "Yeah, I'm in colorguard."

Just then, Mrs. D walked back out with stacks of paper in her hands. "This is our syllabus," she handed half the pile to a blonde girl up front and the other stack to a tall boy. "Pass these out," she ordered.

The class didn't dare to make it known, but they all collectively groaned inside.

* * *

3rd period- Biology.

This was Kenneth's second honors class. He heard that there were going to be sophomores integrated with the freshman, and he was hoped he got to sit next to Cassie this time.

The wish didn't come true.

Dr. Tang, the Ph. D who taught biology, was a wizened old man who still stood tall and moved with athletic grace. He had wrinkles marring his face, but his eyes glinted with knowledge.

"Now I know what you youngsters are all thinking," he clucked his tongue. "You're trying to CHEAT, that's what. You wanna know how to cheat in this class, so that you all get an EASY A."

He wrinkled his nose in mock anger. "If I catch you cheating, then you'll be begging for you life, that's what will happen," He gestured to the board, where the first homework assignment was written. Everyone hastened to copy it down on their agenda.

Then, for the next 30 minutes, Dr. T lectured the class on the importance of credibility in science. Kenneth, bored, took out a notebook and started taking notes on his lecture, even if it was nonsensical. Dr. T swooped down, somehow masking his presence and completely surprising the Jounin, shoved his face in front of the blonde's and menacing asked, "are you DOING YOUR HOMEWORK???"

Kenneth jumped out of his skin. Man, this teacher surprised him. How did he cover up his presence like that? Was he some kind of ninja or something? "Umm, noooo- I'm taking notes,"

He handed Tang his notebook and the old man scanned it, looking for an indication that Kenneth had, indeed been doing homework, but when he found none, he returned the notebook to the teen with a loud clearing of his throat; feigning embarrassment and successfully causing the class to laugh.

"Don't we have a exemplary student here," he patted Kenneth on the shoulder, looking at the rest of the class. "Now all of you should be like him!"

Cassie snickered as Kenneth put his head in his hands, his face red.

* * *

4th period- P.E

To the two teen's surprise, Johnny had this class with them as well, including bio. That, and they had 5th period next together.

In this period however, Johnny proceeded to make a deep imprint on Kenneth's mind.

"So your hobby is running? That's sweet, lets try out for track together!" he excitedly gathered his fingers into a fist. "we'd be so totally kick ass!"

"What's the difference between Cross country and Track?" Cassie asked.

Johnny wagged a finger. "Cross country is long distance running. Track is short distance, based on speed rather than stamina! Kenneth, I bet I can beat you in a race!"

Kenneth smirked. He never backed down from a challenge. "Oh yeah?" he raised an eyebrow. "you really wanna bet?"

"Bring it on," Johnny deadpanned. Cassie snorted.

Kenneth felt his lips twitch into a wide grin. Now things were getting interesting.

* * *

5th period- Algebra 2

This class went by pretty fast. Nothing new, the teacher, Ms. Sinestra, was very nice, smiling, kind.

A typical teacher. They had a test to determine what level the students were at. This was also a honors class, and so most everyone was pretty good with the concept of algebra. Still, Johnny got 9 wrong out of 30 problems. It was a good thing that this test was only to measure their levels and didn't count, because Johnny would be wailing if it had been recorded.

The said boy had strongly argued that he was actually very good at math. Cassie agreed, but Kenneth couldn't really believe it, as he himself had only gotten 2 wrong. He shrugged it off.

* * *

6th period- Health

The last class of the day. Though they both hadn't really done anything, the two of them were physically and mentally tired. Waking up at 5 in the morning really did put a toll on them. As they walked into the classroom, which was slightly dimmer than the others- or was it just an illusion?- the tall, imposing figure of the health teacher staring into the monitor of his personal computer, not paying any attention to his students.

Raising a brow, Cassie and Kenneth sat down at a square table near the middle. The late bell rang, and the seats filled up. Still, the teacher did not look up.

10 minutes passed. The teacher still did not look up from his pc.

20 minutes...

30 minutes...

Finally, more than 30 minutes into the period, the teacher tore his gaze from the monitor and slowly stood up. Kenneth watched the clock. There was 20 minutes left of class.

"I'm Mr. Terzian," the tall, brooding figure said, then wrote his name in big letters on the white board.

"This is a health class. Therefore you won't do anything that is detrimental to your health,"

the students had a puzzled look on their face. Was he trying to make a joke? Mr. T continued.

"We are a semester long class. Therefore we will be moving through the curriculum quickly. I will not stand for troublemakers. Therefore you will all behave. Do you understand?" Not bothering to raise his voice out of his monotone, the teacher fixed his eyes on the freshman, and promptly sat back down to stare at his monitor.

After a while, kids began to chat and snicker, but the teacher didn't even give the slightest indication that he heard anything. _Weird_, Kenneth thought.

The bell rang, and he and Cassie made their way over to the front of the school, a bit dazed.

Cassie was the first to speak. "How do you like school?"

Kenneth hn'ed noncommittally. "Dunno. How do YOU like high school?

"It's...okay, I guess," Cassie replied carefully. She scanned the line of vehicles waiting to pick up their kids. "Looks like mom's not here yet. Wanna go check out the library?"

Kenneth grinned. "Sure." when they walked over to the less crowded area, he snaked his hand to lace it with Cassie's. It'd been a while since he'd done that. Cassie blushed a bit, but didn't do anything else.

What they didn't know was that there was a person hiding behind the lunch tables as the couple walked through the library doors. He clicked his cell and giggled at the sight of the snapshots he had taken.

Cassie and Kenneth, how adorable. Lyndon is going to have field day when he sees this.

Snickering evilly, Johnny slung his backpack over his shoulder and made his way over to his car.

* * *

Sorry about not updating for 2-3 weeks. I was really busy and my grades are suffering, haha. BUT they will go up soon enough, so I'll try to update as regularly as possible.


	15. A Platonic Friendship is Not Us

Disclaimer: Naruto doesn't belong to me, it belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

UPDATED: 3/21/10

NOTE: I UPDATE THIS FIC BI-WEEKLY. IF I HAVE TIME THEN WEEKLY, IF NOT, EXPECT IT EVERY OTHER WEEK. THAT IS A PROMISE UNLESS I TELL YOU OTHERWISE. REVIEW!

* * *

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was November, and the autumn had fully set in. The peony trees outside were no longer full with green leaves and lush branches. Instead, crunchy brown leaves littered the ground beneath it. The green grass in the wide front and back yards of their home was kept green, but they were slightly wilted, with the lack of the sun and increased moisture causing them to bend down as if in silent grief; grief for the coming winter.

So far, Namikaze Minato, also known as Kenneth Namikaze, was faring quite well in the states. Homecoming had been a blast, with many upperclassmen taking part in the school's legendary dance battle. He had a lot of fun, but it was still mighty sad to see the other freshmen who had participated be totally upstaged by the upperclassmen.

He made several new friends, joined a variety of clubs, namely, FBLA, Tennis Club, Readers Club, Interact, Martial Arts Club, and Salsa Club. He had joined FBLA out of curiosity, also because his other friends had begged him to join it, and the fact that Andrew and Matthew had been/and still is a part of this club intrigued him greatly. In the end, Cassie was the one who had solidified his decision; as soon as she picked up a membership application form he had done the same.

Tennis Club, both he and Cassie were ecstatic to join. Matthew was a part of this too, and was on the top team. It was a shame that the school itself didn't have a Tennis Team, but a Tennis Club was the closest thing next to it.

Readers Club, he joined simply because he felt the need to improve his English. When he found out that the members of the Readers Club were going to be writing letters to Penpals in Japan, he was even more encouraged to join.

As for Interact, he and Cassie had no idea what it was about until they were asked to join by some members. At the idea of doing volunteer service and helping others, they had immediately signed up.

Martial Arts...he joined just because he felt like it. He felt a strange connection with the club and his other occupation. He never showed off, of course, but he still liked to indulge in breaking boards and teaching others self defense.

Lastly, the Salsa Club.....

He would not have joined that club if Cassie had not been begging him to do so. She had latched onto his arm, wailing that there weren't enough leaders, namely, boys, and had practically got on her knees to get him to join. Once he joined, he had to admit it was pretty fun, but every time someone found out that he was in the Salsa Club he had to endure critical looks that said, "_You're_ in the _Salsa Club_??"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

* * *

A light shuffling of papers, soft tapping of the pencil, and quiet breathing were the only things out of place in the seemingly silent moment in the Uzumaki living room.

One blond head and a long red head sat on the leather couches of the grand living room, facing opposite of the front door. The clock on the wall read 4:20, they just came back from school.

Currently, no one else was home.

Cassie quietly mulled over her algebra 2 homework. Kenneth, already done, was typing away at his laptop, trying to write up a persuasive essay. Pausing, he discreetly glanced over at the redhead.

Smiling triumphantly, he watched as the afternoon sun danced in her fiery locks. The day's events flashed before him.

* * *

Three hours ago...

Another day in school went by, and the two found themselves walking into their last class, which was Health. The teacher, as usual, was sitting in front of his desk, staring intently into his desktop. The schedule for the day was written on the whiteboard. Cassie glanced at the words. "Healthy Relationships and Dating Procedures."

Kenneth, sitting down, squinted his eyes. The topic was dating? What about dating could be unhealthy?

Raising her eyebrows, Cassie sat down next to him. "Looks like today's lesson's going to be fun," she remarked dryly.

"You think so?"

"Why not? That weirdo is going to talk about relationships. Everyone knows he's a pervert," she waved a hand dismissively.

Kenneth peered over at their teacher. The odd man, who was always fixated on his monitor, had a tendency to hurriedly close whatever window was on whenever a student came close to his desk....which drew some unpleasant rumors from many of the students, who did not even like the stoic teacher in the first place. Truthfully Kenneth too found the man a bit disturbing, with his dark aura and jerky movements. Ten minutes after the late bell, the teacher finally found the motivation to stand up and face his class.

"Alright...today we're going to talk about dating. Everyone put away the pencils..you won't need them," the teacher flipped on a powerpoint. "Here are some vocab you need to know: Casual relationships, Platonic relationships, Dating relationships, acquaintances, friends, close friends."

Cassie leaned over to Kenneth's ear. "Why is 'friend' a part of the vocab? Does he think we're idiots or something?" she whispered.

He shrugged noncommittally. "Maybe it has a more specific definition in the world of dating," he joked. Cassie just rolled her eyes.

The teacher's voice boomed above them. "Listen up! A platonic relationship is what you would call a friendship between a guy and a girl. They are not dating, or in any means intimate with each other. They are simply friends!"

Rapping his yardstick to the board, he continued to yell. "An acquaintance is someone you have a casual relationship with, someone who is not a friend, but also not a stranger! On the other hand, a friend is someone you share bonds and secrets and interact on a daily basis. Now, take out a sheet of paper and write down three names per each category! Then I want you to write a 50 word quickwrite about how you feel about your relationships!"

The class grumbled, but still pulled out a piece of lined paper. Kenneth's pen hovered over the paper. Who were his acquaintances? Could his newly made friends be considered, "close friends?" And platonic friends...Cassie...

Shaking his head Kenneth quickly jotted down a few other names. 10 minutes later, the teacher once again boomed loudly with his voice, "Alright! Now I will explain how dating works!"

He glared at the class. "I'm sure some of you have experienced dating before! Dating is a way to socialize with those of the other sex, and it can be used as an effective way to develop your social skills! It is recommended for teens to have multiple dating experiences to increase their awareness, but of course, when you're an adult you shouldn't be switching between dates! Then it would be considered a problem!

"However, there is something called Abusive Dating! This is when a girlfriend or boyfriend uses their relationship with each other to purposefully hurt or beat their partners for impure reasons! Many times this is associated with poor interacting skills, many emotional disorders, and or trauma. It has been reported that kids with abusive parents tend to be abusive to their partners as they grow up, then be abusive to their children, who in turn are abusive to their partners. It's a vicious cycle."

Kenneth grimaced. He knew what the man was talking about. Back in the Ninja world, he had come across many abusive people who did sick things like beating their wives' faces or trying to throw out their baby out the window. Jiraiya-sensei and he had witnessed these misfortunes during their many missions outside the village and in more uncultured parts of the world. It sickened him to think that people would actually force other human beings to being submissive, and harming them. One thing he had pledged to do in his life was to never become the monster that manhandles his wife and children, no matter what. After all, if he hurt his loved ones instead of protecting them, how would he ever become Hokage and protect the entire village?

Mr. Terzian cleared his throat. "While those are clearly unhealthy ways of showing your affections, other teens find a much healthier way to display their emotions. Such as holding hands, listening to each other, talking, being alone together, asking each other out on dates, hugging, whatever, ect.

"Some people have trouble launching into dating, and others don't. Some don't date until much later, and some date as soon as possible. Everyone is different. One thing teens normally do to ease themselves into dating is to go out on group dates, and then meet their partners then."

A classmate raised a hand. "What about breaking up Mr. Terzian?"

"I was getting to that," he cleared his throat again. "The difference between dating and loving is quite hard to grasp. But breaking up is a natural part of life, and so it's important to let go of them, and not stick to the past." He flipped on a powerpoint presentation, and to everyone's discomfort, pointed out the flaws with kissing on the first date. He then repeated the vocabs all over again, and selected random people in the class to answer his questions.

While the teacher was doing that, Kenneth fell into deep thought. Beside him, Cassie too, fell into deep thought. _Dating...would Kenneth be willing to date in his teens? Or is he the type of guy who waits till he's in college? Will he find a girlfriend here? Even if he did, he can't continue their relationship anyway, with her being oblivious to the fact that he's a ninja. _Cassie thought, albeit a bit angrily. _He still might find someone he likes though...and if he does, what about me? He holds my hands and sometimes kisses me on the cheek, but other than that, there is nothing. I don't even know if he's playing with me or if there really is something there..._

Kenneth ran a hand through his gold hair. _Relationships...why is it that after years of Jiraiya pestering me about this I finally start thinking about them-- in a health class no less? _

_I know that I am a ninja and after a while I will go back to Konoha and carry out missions. I know that this life right now, is going to end someday. I won't forget who I am. But..._ his eyes clenched shut in inner conflict. _…but...that doesn't mean that I'll ever be able to forget the times I had here. Won't it drive me crazy? I enjoy this tranquil, peaceful life here in the U.S, not having to worry about getting stronger so I won't get killed or having to watch my back every night, having to be deceptive and exploitative. I know I will miss the life here. Won't there be a way for me to enjoy both at once? Being a ninja is my passion and my dream. But I know, that when the time comes for me to make a choice, I won't be able to choose between this world and the other..._

He looked at the girl sitting next to him, lost in her own thoughts. He smiled lightly. _Because this world has given me a family._

The bell rang, and the students dully rose from their seats and ran out the door, gladly running away from the boring place. The teacher merely settled down to his seat and stared at his monitor. Kenneth and Cassie quietly packed their stuff and walked out the door.

Taking a more secluded route to the front gates, where there was hardly any students, the two teenagers walked in silence. The large walls of buildings surrounding them hid them from view from people passing by. This way took longer, but there was that strange, unspoken need to prolong their walk, undisturbed.

Cassie kept on flicking glances at the blonde. The taller boy held his head high, his eyes on the path in front of him, clearly thinking about something.

Even though he was deep in thought, the Jounin still caught the girl watching him. He moved his head so to have his blue eyes connect with hers. _"Do you have something to ask me?"_ the question was evident in his eyes.

Cassie shifted on her feet. There was one question that had been stewing in her for a while...Her face coloring, she stammered , "So do we have a ...platonic relationship?"

Kenneth stopped walking.

He then locked her gaze with hers. After a few tense moments, he smirked. Walking right up to her frame, causing her to take uncertain steps back and onto the wall, he bent over and spoke in her ear. "Well, I don't know," he raised his head to stare at her face. "Do we?" he chuckled at the expression on her face. He bent down,

and caught her lips in a passionate kiss.

* * *

Present

Feeling Kenneth's gaze on her, Cassie looked up from her homework. She instantly flushed, remembering what happened earlier. She had been shocked at his actions, but he was not in any way forcing himself on her, nor was he being aggressive. The kiss had been passionate, but also very tender. That, and the fact that she had responded with equal enthusiasm didn't help.

Anyways, she took his kiss as a "No, I am NOT your platonic friend."

This made her smile quite a bit, and she flashed Kenneth a bright, happy smile. The blonde grinned, set his laptop down, and stretched.

"I'm gonna take a break," he yawned. Gathering up his things, he marched up the stairs. Halfway up, he looked down at her and said, "Aren't you going to rest too?"

"Worried for your GIRLFRIEND?" she got up and put her hands to her hips to emphasize her point. Kenneth coughed. "Well, you're welcome."

After he left, Cassie grabbed her stomach in a fit of giggles. She didn't know how to describe her feelings right now...she just felt so...giddy whenever she thought of Kenneth being hers.

Getting up from the couch, she bounded upstairs to tackle the blonde in his bed.

* * *

Yeah, sorry about it being so short, but I thought this chapter should be solely dedicated to them finally taking the step to increase their love for each other. Please critique and press the button below!

-Hulkishpower


	16. Planning a Visit and a Party

Disclaimer: Naruto doesn't belong to me. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

UPDATED: 3/31/10

**Japanese (but I'll be labeling what kind of laguage they're speaking right then)**

English

xxxxxxxxxxxx

NOTE: It was a bit early this time, wasn't it? Well, I am on spring break after all. And PLEASE POLL MY POLL.

* * *

Konoha:

(speaking in Japanese)

It was twilight. The night was soon bearing upon the citizens of Fire Country, and people began readying themselves to turn in for the night. All except for the few shinobi that littered their streets.

Three lone figures, each in their own seats under the wide tree branch, separated from the rest of the bustling growth of a hidden village, let out a sigh.

"Hey, Kakashi," began one Uchiha Obito, whose hair was longer and much messier than last time. "Do you miss sensei?"

The silver haired boy remained silent. His hair too, was longer. He was taller, more lean and his face slightly thinner. A cricket chirped.

"Yeah, I do." he finally admitted. Crossing his arms, he looked away into the bundle of woods far away. After a moment, he asked, "..Do you?"

Twisting his goggles in his hands out of sheer boredom and frustration, Obito sighed again. "Obviously."

"Of course. You're the most predictable guy on earth."

"WHAT?!"

"STOP IT, both of you!" The two boys, ready to engage in a fight, jerked out of their stances and mumbled an apology to the only female member of their team, Rin.

Like the boys, she too was taller. Her hair however, was shorter. She had cut it, and now it only came down to about her chin. She looked very cute with the new hairstyle, and Obito couldn't help but stare at her, speechless.

Normally, she was very docile and kind, but nowadays, with their sensei gone, and the boys tumbling into a fight every few seconds, her patience was taking a toll. She was still very understanding and compassionate, but when the two of them fought it blew her off the edge. Sensei isn't here, so control yourselves, for goodness' sake!

Thinking about her sensei stung her eyes. Pulling her knees close to her chest, she stared down onto her kneecaps until even the light of the fading sun was too little for her to see clearly. Minato-sensei had been like a replacement for her older brother, who had missed out on much of her life due to his missions as a shinobi. And, just as many typical younger sisters loved being pampered by their kind onii-sans, although Minato never really pampered her in that sense (preferring to train his team to the ground), she also had been infatuated with her sensei, her first crush gone over to the brotherly teacher.

However, she wasn't dumb, and knew that it'd never come true. She found a different source of light in another member of her team, Kakashi. To her eyes, he was amazing. It saddened her that he never took any notice of her, though.

Obito, was tolerable. And she was already aware of his feelings for her. But, she thought, they were all too young. She..really liked Kakashi, but her intelligent mind told her that she should wait a few years, at least, to get a firmer grasp of her feelings. Other people might laugh at her and say that she's wasting her time, that shinobi life was too short, but she was barely a Genin, and she had a few years to live, right?

Either way, none of this mattered compared to the pressing depression of missing her sensei. "I miss him so much," she half sobbed.

The boys didn't reply. They too, missed their teacher. Obito wanted to pat her on the back and tell her it's okay, but he couldn't find it in his heart to do it. He himself missed Minato-sensei terribly, who was he to tell her that it's okay?

Kakashi wanted to tell her to stop being a baby and to act like a proper ninja, to uphold the 25th rule of shinobi conduct...but he too missed his sensei, and the only thing that was hiding it was the darkness of the night impending upon them. Who was he to tell her not to cry when his own tears brimmed his lashes?

Kakashi knew that their sensei was special to everyone on their team, but to him, Minato-sensei was a tad bit more special. Minato was the one who had taken care of him ever since his father had committed suicide. They had been together since he was a fresh Chuunin. He would have kept his teacher all to himself if not for three years later the Sandaime went and stuck two more _annoying_ _children_ with him (note the irony), forming a full fledged team.

Obito, stood up. His sudden actions surprised the two other team members out of their stupor. Rin looked up in surprise. Kakashi turned to face his friend (though he never admitted it). Obito looked at the two of them squarely in the eye, and said in a level tone, "Let's go see the Hokage. This is ridiculous. A team deprived of their sensei! I want to see our teacher."

His strong tone raised Kakashi's brow. What happened to the crybaby?

Rin, smiled. She was glad for Obito warm strength. She stood up and shook off the bits of grass sticking to her clothes. Reaching for his hand, she smiled. "You're right. Even if he's the Hokage, he has no right to keep us from our sensei. Let's go."

Kakashi mutely stared at their little bond. At the sight of their linked hands, he felt...a bit lonely? Then, he was stunned as Rin turned around and gave him a brilliant smile.

Turning, she offered her hand to Kakashi. "Let's go, Kakashi. Together."

A second of hesitation, and he grasped her hands. "Let's go."

Hand in hand, they walked steadily toward the tall tower in the middle of the village, their bond urging them forward.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jiraiya sat on a red tiled roof—he could hear giggles coming from inside the establishment that he was resting on top of. Along with the bell like sounds, light steam issued from the cracks in the roof. He wasn't too keen on hiding tonight. A lot of people had already seen him perched on top of a ladies bath.

He was sure none of them recognized him, however. After all, who'd think that the totally serious looking man with the most serious expression sitting on top of the roof without the tiniest glance toward the naked girls below is actually Jiraiya, the legendary pervert? Despite the physical similarities, everyone who had seen him there all brushed it off as someone else.

Why is he like this, you ask?

The thing was, peeking wasn't so fun anymore, not when there wasn't a blonde boy persistently lecturing why you shouldn't peek on naked girls. That, and the lack of having a dedicated student next to him made him feel withdrawn and old. To put it bluntly....he missed Minato.

And before that boy does something to him like permanently putting him off going to the ladies bath, he was gonna do something about it.

Jumping off the roof, he dashed towards the Hokage tower, only stopping to knock at a pristine, wood door.

"Hey, old man! You in there? I'm coming in!"

Sarutobi glanced up at his student, gratefully accepting the distraction from his paperwork. "Ah, yes, Jiraiya. Do you need something?"

"Do I need something? Hell yes I need something. I need my student, right here, right now." Jiraiya crossed his arms and glared at the aging old man. Well, he wasn't quite that old yet, with two little sons, but he was still an old man to Jiraiya.

Sarutobi tiredly set down his hat and rubbed his face. "Jiraiya, I know that..."

"Hokage-sama!!" Obito yelled, having just burst into the room. The secretary was just behind him, protesting loudly.

"Obito, there wasn't any need to yell," Kakashi said patiently. Rin nodded, hastily peeking over to Jiraiya and Sarutobi. "Great, you disturbed their meeting." Kakashi grumbled.

Sarutobi waved a hand. "It's alright, it's alright. I suppose all of you are here for the same thing as Jiraiya?" he asked, mirth evident in his tone. A beginning of a smile crept up his face as he noted how the three young ninja grasped hands. To his question, all three of them nodded.

Jiraiya scowled. Here he was interrupted by a bunch of kiddies! Who were they kidding? He was the gallant Jiraiya, and these brats....these brats....

Upon squinting at the young ninja for a while, Jiraiya snorted. _Heh, so they're Minato's brats. Not ordinary brats, I see. I'll give you that much. _He turned to look at his old teacher again, who was contemplating things over his crisscrossed hands.

Sarutobi thought as he watched over the union of ninja who had ganged up on him to see Minato. He missed the boy as well, and it was understandable that they would want to see their teacher/student. It had been many months, after all. Minato had left in the middle of April, and now it was nearing December. He knew that Minato couldn't come, not now. But perhaps a visit to the Uzumaki home could be arranged...the question was, how?

Sarutobi sat up rapidly, throwing paper all over the place. Four pairs of eyes fixed on him in worry and suspicion. Yes! How could he have not thought of it?!

It was perfect. A few days ago, the council had been bothering him about Minato, and just what he was learning in the "other world," and how it could be of any use to Konoha, and if, they could even trust those "Uzumaki." It had been a really big headache, to explain all that, but as they always say, seeing once is better than listening a hundred times, right? Here was a chance for him to kill two birds with one stone.

"Jiraiya, I think I have an idea," the Hokage excitedly said. "How about if I send the four of you, along with members of the council, to the Uzumaki's house? That way, I wouldn't have to put up with the council bothering me with any of this, and I wouldn't have to put up with your whining," Sarutobi clapped his hands. "Yes, I think this is a great idea! Kakashi, Obito, and Rin, I will try to see if you three can visit Minato. I will notify you in less than three days, so please go home for tonight. I have things to discuss with Jiraiya."

Eyes lighting up at the sound of meeting their sensei, team seven rushed out the door. Even Kakashi. Sarutobi laughed good-naturedly at their exit. Jiraiya looked perplexed. "And just how are you going to convince Uzumaki? And the council for that matter? I'm sure none of them will be willing to be dragged across dimensions when they don't even trust the Uzumaki," thoroughly unconvinced, Jiraiya tightened his hold on his crossed arms.

Sarutobi merely smiled at his student. "Do not worry. Like I've told the children, I will notify you in less than three days. Be patient, and go home. I have paperwork to do."

"Either way, I will get to see Minato, right?"

"Yes, some way or another. Don't worry. Now go!" Dismissing the white haired sage with a flick of his hands, Sarutobi returned to his stack of papers.

* * *

U.S.A.

(speaking in English)

Cassie lounged on Kenneth's bed as she listened to him playing Vivaldi: Concerto in A minor, 3rd movement. He'd come so far in such a short time. It was all the fruits of his efforts, really. He practiced so much. With his naturally genius brain, he finished most of his homework during school, and barely took more than an hour or two to finish up at home. Then the rest of his day was split in half: Violin and sword training.

It was just yesterday that Kenneth had kissed her, and she felt a thrill of excitement course through her as she watched him passionately deliver the piece. He was no longer playing the dinky, cheap Violin, but an expensive, medium quality violin made in Germany. It wasn't the best, but it'd do for now.

Of course, she was just a bit skeptical of any instrument. Cassie herself used a fine, 18th century Violin crafted from a master; it was worth a house. The tone was exquisite, to say the least. Even a beginner could play it and sound amazing.

But she loved the sound Kenneth was making right now. It was so bouncy, and he interpreted the music well. The warm rich tone sent jitters down her spine. Closing her eyes, she encased herself in the world of music...when it stopped.

A bit annoyed, she pried her eyes open...to find him smiling down at her, violin in hand. "Why are you stopping?"

"Because I'm finished, dummy." Kenneth lightly joked.

Cassie felt heat rising to her cheeks as she sat up on the bed. "Oh,"

Kenneth set his violin down in his case. Then he joined her on the bed. "What do you think?"

"About what?"

"The piece, Cassie. Were you listening to me play?" There was the slightest hint of hurt in his voice. But he hid it well.

"No, no, I was listening. It was beautiful. I felt like I was trapped in your music. I don't think I ever played that piece as well as you did."

Grinning madly, Kenneth said, "Really?"

"Yeah, I never liked Baroque. To top it off, I never liked Vivaldi, period."

Kenneth fingered her hands, which were resting on top of his blankets. "Why not? I like them, they have a certain quality to the notes,"

"I still like Classic and Romantic music better,"

"Whatever you say." Kenneth lay down next to her. Cassie followed suit. He picked up her hand and examined it. Noting the callouses on the tips of her fingers due to years of playing Violin, he traced her palm gently. He then compared her hand to his.

"Hmm," he mused. "How funny,"

"What is?"

"Why is that, even though the two of us train with the sword, we don't have any rough spots on our hands? I've been noticing how my hands don't develop callouses like I did when I handled kunai. And you have been using a sword much longer than I have. And yet, your hand is so soft,"

Cassie blushed. "It's just a part of the Uzumaki-ryu. In all my life, my long hair has never once been in the way of fighting." she told him. "I never lost a strand. Similarly, I never got rough hands or every dirtied my clothes in training or battle. I suppose it's just the way we move our bodies. Like I said, part of the Uzumaki-ryu."

"Really? Because usually, long hair is really impractical. Only strong shinobi can afford to have long hair like yours," Kenneth took a strand of her shining red hair and kissed it.

"Aren't I flattered. Just so you know, it's tradition for all girls to have long hair from the ages of thirteen and seventeen."

"Is that why almost all the girl cousins I've seen have long hair?"

"Except for the boys? Yes."

The two laid in silence for a while. Then Cassie spoke up. "Hey, Kenneth, do you miss your friends in the Ninja World?"

It took a moment for Kenneth to respond. "Kind of. But I only had a few really close people. I don't have any family there, so..."

"...do you think of us as a family?"

"...yes."

"...if the time comes....will you...will you leave us?"

"....I will do everything in my power to balance both lives. I love it here, Cassie. No fighting, no killing, no stealing, no ninja. Just technology and education. I know I belong in the ninja world, but somehow...I feel like I belong here as well. Isn't there a way to have both?"

Cassie snuggled up to his warm side. Kenneth wrapped an arm around her. "I hope so, Kenneth. I really do hope that there is a way."

"Hey! Kenneth and Cassie! Dad's calling!" Matthew called from the bottom of the stairs. Getting off the bed, the two yelled,

"Coming!" and ran out of Kenneth's room.

"What's up?" Cassie asked, leaning over the banister and staring down at her brother.

Matthew just motioned for them to come down. "Dad wants to talk with us before dinner,"

Sharing a look, Kenneth and Cassie walked down the stairs and followed Matthew to the conference room, where Scott was waiting for them with a laptop on the table. "Come in guys, we have a lot to talk about before your mother calls you for dinner," he motioned them to all sit down, not taking his eyes off the LCD screen.

Cassie started. "This is about Mom's birthday, isn't it?" An excited gleam came into her eyes.

"Oh yeah, how could I have forgot? It's mom's birthday in two weeks!" Matthew slapped a hand to his forehead. "What a great son I am," he muttered.

Kenneth blinked. "It's her birthday?" he questioned. He didn't know that.

"Yes, it's Karen's birthday in two weeks, right at the end of your winter breaks, that is." Scott mused. He typed some ideas into his laptop. "That's why I called this family meeting. We need to come up with a plan for her party. Any suggestions?"

"Ooh, let's make the theme snow! It was so pretty last year..."Cassie giggled.

Matthew shook his head. "but it was LAST year. And we don't even snow here. What about....flowers?"

"In the middle of winter?" Kenneth raised an eyebrow. Isn't that weirder?"

Matthew shrugged. "Still pretty." he simply said. "and it suits Mom."

Scott tapped his chin thoughtfully. "What about....underwater castle? Sort of like the _Little Mermaid?_ We can cover the entire ballroom walls with blue paper and paint sea creatures on them. And we can put shades on the lighting to make it dim..how about it?"

"That sounds awesome!" Cassie gave a thumbs up. "I want to paint! And we can have individual performances, like we do every year. Oh, and don't forget the orchestra!"

Matthew said, "This year...why don't we have the teenagers set up everything? Sort of like an appreciation party. I'm sure the rest of the clan will want to get involved and the teens can group up into teams, like decorating team and potluck team, and the adults can just help us with the supplies and the secrecy."

Kenneth grinned. "I like that. Let's do it!" Scott smiled and typed things down.

"Alright, so the first to do in our list...would be...to call Andrew. After that, you guys can organize everything else, alright?" he laughed. "It's a good thing that your winter break is just right around the corner. This way you don't have to worry about school."

Kenneth brightened. "Now I can practice Violin all day! And catch up to Cassie, haha."

Cassie retorted. "as if you'd ever come close to catching up to me in two years!" then, as another idea popped into her head, she squealed and grabbed his arm. "Kenneth! We should so totally do a performance together! I'm sure Mom will love it!"

"Don't forget, you have to do a performance with me and Dad and Andrew too, Kenneth," Matthew said before he left the room.

"Huh? What performance?" Kenneth asked, unsure if he was supposed to be happy or not. Scott just grinned.

"Oh, Andrew, Matthew and I make it a point to do some kind of performance for Karen every year. Now that you're here, you have to do it too."

"And, I want you to play Violin with me, okay?" Cassie piped up happily.

"Umm, okay..." Kenneth replied. It sounded like fun, but it was going to be a lot of work. And playing next to Cassie? That had been his dream, to play next to her. But..what if he sounded bad? Shaking his head, he walked out of the conference room.

A most delicious aroma brought him to the kitchen, where Matthew was helping to set up dishes. Karen caught sight of her adoptive son and smiled radiantly. "Kenneth! Perfect timing. Could you call the others for dinner please?"

Smiling kindly in response to the elder woman, whom he adored with all his heart, he turned back the way he came from and poked his head into the room. "Hey, dinner's ready."

A chorus of "Okay" met his ears. Chuckling, he walked back to the kitchen and sat down at the table. Matthew and Cassie soon joined him. As utensils clattered lightly against the dishware, Kenneth vaguely registered how warm and perfect this moment was, laughing with his family and eating dinner together, sheltered from the raging cold winds outside. His life was so different from before, when pretty much all of his meals had been eaten alone.

Savoring this moment, he promised to never let go of this feeling.

* * *

Next day: 7:00 AM (Friday)

(**Japanese/** English)

Scott rose from his bed and yawned. Stretching, he smiled at his wife, who, after sending all of their children (the ones that were there anyway) to school 40 minutes ago, plopped back down on the bed and promptly went back to sleep. As an architect, his working times were a bit erratic. He worked in his firm most of the day, and when he came back home, he had to receive all the international calls from many of his clients and co.

Today he started work at ten, a rather late time, but since it was Friday and the day was pretty much meant to be lax, it was alright for him to go mid-noon.

Settling down on his backyard porch table with some coffee and a newspaper, he idly hummed to the sound of the birds chirping. It was a bit chilly, but it was fine.

Calmly reading, his shinobi senses immediately picked up the rippling air several paces left of him, under one big peony tree. With the casual nonchalance elite shinobi had, he simply sipped at his drink, and waited for the ripples to distort the dimensional fabric...his senses told him to be watchful—guarded even, but he knew that among those who had the power to move across dimensions, there wasn't anyone who'd do him harm. At the sound of footstep lightly tousling the grass and the morning dew across his lawn, he gracefully set down his coffee cup and neatly folded his newspaper.

Then, he looked up and smiled at his long time friend. **"How are you doing, Sarutobi? To what do I owe this visit?"** he asked, speaking in Japanese in courtesy of the ninja. Smiling in response to the beautiful- but chilly- weather and the elegance of his friend's personality and home, Sarutobi sat down on a chair.

"**It's been fine, thank you. I take it that Minato is doing well?" **he commented.

Scott poured Sarutobi some coffee. **"Kenneth? Yes, he's doing well. He's doing fabulously in his schoolwork, and everything else. I have to say, he really is a genius." **

Sarutobi squinted. **"..Kenneth? Is that...?"**

"**Yes, that is his name. Kenneth Namikaze. We thought it fit him rather well."** Scott sipped some more.

"**Is he here? May I speak to him?" **the Hokage inquired.

Scott smiled apologetically at his friend. **"Sorry, but he's off to school. It's a bit early, I know. But he has zero period along with my other children."**

Unsure of what a "zero-period" was, Sarutobi just drank some of the offered coffee. It was very high quality in flavor and brewing technique, he mentally noted. Clearing his throat, he began to speak.

"**Actually, my friend, I came here to talk about something...something quite selfish of me, I'll say,"** Feeling quite intrusive and rude, Sarutobi didn't know how to spill this to his friend. Naoki (Scott) had done so much for him already.

But Scott just bellowed with laughter and said, **"What is it? I'm okay with whatever you have to say, Sarutobi. What good are friends if we can't even ask favors of one another?"**

Looking much more comfortable than he had been, Sarutobi began to talk.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Two hours later....(speaking in Japanese)

"And so, the reason why I called this meeting is because I want to let you all know that you all have a formal invitation to Uzumaki Miki's birthday party in two weeks. It is up to you to go but I strongly encourage it as it will give you answers to many of your questions." Sarutobi finished as he sucked on his pipe. "Any questions?"

The council looked uncomfortable. A visit to the "other side?" it was very disturbing. What if the Uzumaki weren't as trustworthy as the Hokage claimed them to be?

Sarutobi brushed off their worries. "Don't worry. Jiraiya and I will be accompanying you. And I personally vouch for their friendship. I swear, you'll never see a more kinder clan than the Uzumaki."

"But Hokage-sama, you leaving the village would be-"

"I'll only be there for the party. All of you will be there for three days. Jiraiya and a team will be there for two weeks prior to your arrival to ensure your safety. You are to bring your spouses, unfortunately, they don't have enough room for your children." at this, the council was in uproar.

"What! How could you-" began one member, but Sarutobi smoothly cut him off.

"I'm just adhering to all your worries. Weren't you nervous at the idea of me being out of the village?"

Puffing on his pipe, Sarutobi inwardly enjoyed the sense of triumph at having cornered his council. "Please be thoughtful and bring a nice present for Mrs. Uzumaki. The way you treat the Uzumaki clan will reflect upon the village. We cannot have the Uzumaki think we are barbarians, only knowing how to fight." Everyone stood up straighter. "This meeting is adjourned."

As he stood up slowly and watched the council file out, he saw the figures of the Ungrateful Trio, namely: Homura, Koharu, and Danzo, still in their seats, eyeing him with beady eyes. Clearly, they were waiting for him to talk to them and listen to their complaints. But Sarutobi wasn't in the mood to discuss things further. The difference between them and the rest of the council was that they, as his teammates and comrades in battle, knew the magnificence of the Uzumaki Clan. The only thing they disapproved of was actually traveling to their home. Before sweeping out of the meeting room, he said,

"Oh, you three are invited too." and he slammed the door.

Looking slightly mortified that their leader had ignored them, the three each angrily coughed and stood up to go home.

Sarutobi, on the other hand, was making arrangements to see one Sannin, two Genin and one Chuunin. Walking briskly down the hall, he quickly called an ANBU operative.

"Bear, go find Jiraiya. He should be around the hot springs. And on the way back, locate team seven."

The mask dipped low. "Hai, Hokage-sama."

Preparing himself to face his student's glee, he swiftly sat in his chair at his office and began attacking the piles of paper around his desk with a brush. Paperwork was such a chore.

* * *

Hope you liked it.

-Hulk


	17. The Visit: Part 1

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

UPDATED: 4/11/10

NOTE: IN THIS CHAPTER, **English** IS GOING TO BE **BOLD!** THIS IS BECAUSE THE LANGUAGE THAT'S BEING SPOKEN IS PRIMARILY JAPANESE.

* * *

Konoha:

(Japanese)

Sarutobi puffed out rings of smoke as the four people he wanted to see walked into his office. All of them looking slightly edgy, he smirked as even the notoriously famous Sannin was nervously shifting on his feet like he was facing a sentence.

Chuckling, he set down his pipe and folded his hands across his face. "No need to look so worried. I actually have some good news,"

At his words, all four of them piped up, noticeably regaining some light in their eyes. Jiraiya cleared his throat. "Does this mean we get to see Minato?"

"Yes, but he won't be coming here," Sarutobi picked up his pipe and weighed it in his hand, before sticking it back in his mouth. "_You_ will going _there_."

Obito guffawed. "W-what?" he sputtered. "You want us to go through that hole?" remembering how easily Temjin had sliced the fabric of space and tore open a gap, he shuddered.

Kakashi tensed. He too, clearly recalled the event in which he witnessed his sensei being dragged through the gap of space and watched with horror as the distorted space stitched itself back up...blocking out their teacher's horrified face. Next to him, Rin grasped her hands tightly in a fit of anxiety and fear. Who wanted to go through that thing? Was it dangerous? What was the world like over there? How could they trust the Uzumaki?

The Hokage carefully gauged their reactions. He sighed, and pulled a piece of paper from the nearest stack of paperwork on his desk. Scanning it with narrowed eyes, he threw it to Jiraiya, who caught it with two fingers as easily as if Sarutobi had handed it to him. It was an invitation.

"Naoki apologizes that there wasn't time to make a proper card with an envelope. Since this decision was made at the last minute, there was no time to go to the store and order cards in Japanese. But he very courteously did his best to make an aesthetically pleasing note on his personal computer at home." He blew out another ring of smoke, watching it grow bigger and dissipate into air. "As that paper says, you are all invited to Uzumaki Miki's birthday party. It's in two weeks. The council is invited as well. However, the four of you will be leaving today. You will stay there for two weeks and come back when the party is over. You will also have a chance to see Minato's school and the kind of education he is receiving."

Team seven shared a glance with the white haired Sannin. "Will the council be staying for two weeks too?" Asked Jiraiya. "For some reason I can't imagine even you getting them to agree to that,"

"Of course not. They'll just be there for three days. One day for the party and two days after. After that you will be escorting them home."

Rin nervously wrangled her hands in her lap. Looking through her lashes up at the aging leader of their village, she shyly said, "So we'll ultimately have more time with sensei than with the council? Two weeks?"

The Hokage smiled. "Yes, that is right. I have arranged with Naoki to send you over to his house around two in the afternoon. Right now it's 9:30, so get packed. Consider it a break." he handed team seven each a paper with the details on it. "Oh, and before I forget, remember that you are to take no weapons, no ninja equipment, and no ninja attire. This means that Kakashi, that mask has to come off—I'm sorry," coughing the silver haired ninja's indignant look, he sucked in a breath and continued. "..and Jiraiya, you have to get dressed in more casual clothes. Rin, I don't know what to do about your facial marks, but I hope the Uzumaki have a solution. All of you, just make sure to dress in civilian clothes. And NO CHAKRA. None of that whatsoever. No fighting, no cursing, no jutsu, nothing. Understand? Act like ladies and gentlemen. Never forget that your behavior reflects back on the village." Sarutobi cast an annoyed glance at Jiraiya in particular. "Jiraiya, this means no dancing, no hopping, no perverted laughs, smiles, words, actions..! Do you understand? The moment you do something to embarrass all of us I will have you on probation."

At this everyone stood up straighter.

Sarutobi puffed at his pipe and yelled, "Dismissed! Report back here in this office at 1:50 sharp!"

"Hai!"

* * *

U.S.A:

(**English**)

"**So this is what's going to happen,"** Karen patiently explained to her eldest son, who had just arrived from the airport.

Having celebrated the beginning of winter break the earliest out of his siblings, who had still yet another week to go before the blessed two weeks of rest, he had been feeling rather presumptuous and important...that is until his mother broke the news of having to clean the house till it sparkled to get ready for their guests who decided that it would be totally wonderful to schedule an impromptu sleepover right this morning.

True, his dad knew about it, and he had been the one to initially make the suggestion, but that only made Andrew irritated toward his father.

Ruffling his hair, he stood up tiredly from the couch and stretched. **"I get it. So since everyone else is not here, I will be the one to assist you in cleaning...just let me go get settled in,"** he grabbed his luggage and hobbled up the grand staircase. Karen just smiled and thanked him. She loved having guests.

Landing on his stomach on his comfy bed, Andrew let out a sigh. Wanting to just sleep, he closed his eyes, but then not wanting to be an disobedient, ungrateful son who made his delicate mother clean this freakin' humongous house all by herself. He just wasn't that kind of bastard.

Groaning as he pushed himself off the bed and dressed in a pair of comfortable loose basketball shorts and a white t-shirt, he set his luggage next to his drawers for organizing later. Housework as soon as he gets off the plane...perfect, just perfect.

He walked down the stairs to the storage and pulled out the vacuum. Plugging the cord into the nearest socket, he vacuumed the entire first floor, and dragged it laborously across each and every step on _both_ staircases, and then vacuumed the entire second floor including all his siblings rooms and bathrooms.

Karen hummed as she wiped the windows and the furniture, and opened the doors and windows to let in some of the fresh winter mountain scent. Andrew paused to take in a deep breath. The mountains that surrounded Bradbury always engulfed the community with it's pine and spruce smell. This was one scent he missed over on the east coast.

Setting the vacuum down to grab the basket of ammonia and bleach and other various housecleaning supplies, he grudgingly went and cleaned all the bathrooms in the house, which was a total of 9 restrooms. It took him each twenty minutes to clean, and now it was 12:30. From downstairs, Karen called him for lunch. It was a good thing that all of his family had a habit in keeping their rooms neat and tidy, since then he didn't have to clean all of their rooms.

Karen looked up amused as her eldest came tumbling down the stairs and plopped into one of the kitchen chairs. He looked famished. **"Sorry I made you do this just when you came home..you must be so tired. Why don't you go take a shower after this and get some sleep?"** She set a plate of steaming pasta on the table.

"Ugh, I will, don't worry," Andrew gagged as he tried to get the smell of ammonia out of his nostrils. He took a bite of the pasta, nearly tearing up at its delicious, familiar taste. **"I missed you mom."**

"**Me too son. We all did."** Karen watched fondly as her son ate the rest of the pasta. **"Such a good boy, helping out his mother with the housework,"**

Andrew made a noise between a grunt and snort as he chewed. **"I can't just let you do all this stuff by yourself, can I? What kind of son would I be?"**

"**Still my little bundle of joy, I'm sure. Would you like to go pick up your siblings or would you like to rest?"**

Swallowing, he grinned. **"I'll pick them up. When are the guests coming again?"**

"**Around two, it's 1 now, so go ahead and catch some sleep. I'll do the dishes."** Karen stacked Andrew's empty plate on top of the rest of the pile.

"**Thanks mom."**

"**No problem. And don't forget that Matthew, Kenneth and Cassie are all trying out for track today. So they'll be a little late. Pick them up by 4:30."**

"**Sure."**

Andrew walked out of the kitchen and walked back up to his room, his step latching and heavy. Tired, he fell onto his bed and promptly fell asleep for a quick 30 minute nap.

* * *

Konoha:

(Japanese)

Fully dressed in regular civilian clothes, Jiraiya, Kakashi, Obito, and Rin all made their way over to the Hokage's office. The secretary ushered them in, wondering why they were all dressed without their forehead protectors and ninja equipment.

Once inside, the Hokage was all ready for them with his desk cleared and windows covered. "Ah, you're here. Right on time. Just let me get this room sound proof and chakra proof before your journey. Don't want anyone spying on us, now do we?" he lightly joked and activated the secret privacy seals Jiraiya had instilled for him many years ago.

Absolutely sure that there was no spies, no interruptions, he picked up a ornately crafted dagger with a silver sheath and ivory handle. Even in the room with practically no light shining through, the dagger seemed to glint, and Kakashi stared at it with stunned eyes. It was very similar to the tanto his father used to carry. The way it shone looked sharp and lethal.

Sarutobi unsheathed the blade and ran his finger down the sharp blade, drawing blood. He wiped the blood in a thin line down the flat edge of the dagger, but something caught his eyes. "Kakashi, the mask has to come off," he growled.

Kakashi grudgingly pulled his mask down. In the dark, the others couldn't see his face very well anyway. He just didn't like the idea of being 'open' in front of all the Uzumaki.

Satisfied, Sarutobi ran through a series of hand seals, and slashed the open air between him and the ninja. Watching in fascination and fear, the younger shinobi especially, they all gulped.

Sarutobi grinned. "Let's go now, shall we?" He pointed to the gash floating in mid air and waved his arm through.

No one moved.

The Hokage sighed. "Just walk through already. It's perfectly safe. Come on, now,"

In a burst of bravery, Jiraiya stepped forth. Having abandoned his geta and customized forehead protector, he looked forlorn like a miserable grandpa with too little lines. Jiraiya walked through the gap.

Soon, Kakashi stepped up, and hesitantly placed a foot inside the gash in space. Finding stable ground, he carefully pulled the rest of his body through. Rin followed him after a moment's hesitation, and lastly, Obito stepped through. Sarutobi followed after Obito, and the gash slowly, tantalizingly knitted itself back together.

Obito looked around. He had no idea where he was, but this place was clearly not their destination. There was no sun, no sky, no ground, nothing. However, there was still light, and there was still something to step on.

Beside him, Kakashi was thinking the same thing. The world was pitch black, but there was still light coming from some unknown source that softly illuminated the space between them.

Sarutobi began to walk in the opposite direction they came through. Certain and calm in his actions, he set a steady pace and walked ahead.

"Ano, Hokage-sama?" Obito spoke up. "Where exactly are we?"

"We're in the space between dimensions, Obito. Does it scare you?" Sarutobi mildly chuckled.

"N-no! I'm just a little...unsure that's all," Obito stuttered. But it was the truth. He _was_ scared. But he was sure Kakashi was scared too!

"Oi, old man, how can you be sure if you're going in the right direction?" Jiraiya asked. "What if we get stuck out here?"

"That's not possible. As long as you have yourself and this special sword, you will never get lost out here. The reason why we're walking is because it's easier to cross dimensions that way. You can open up a hole anywhere you like, but you can only go to a certain place. There are only a few holes that you can come out through in both our worlds."

"How does this work? I mean, this is all just outrageous! Crossing worlds, speaking a different language, no chakra, no fighting...no wonder the council hates the Uzumaki."

"They don't hate them, Jiraiya. They are just afraid. Afraid of the unknown. And I hope that with this experience they will be more or less knowing of the similarities and difference between themselves and the Uzumaki. Here we are,"

Sarutobi came to an abrupt halt. Swiftly taking out his dagger, he ran it through the darkness, and secretly smirked as the younger ninja behind him gaped at the sight of the gash rippling and light streaming through.

The air calmed, and everyone sucked in a dazzled breath as they saw brilliant afternoon light of Southern California shine brightly in the yard dotted with flowers and peony trees.

Sarutobi laughed out loud, taking delight at his student's (and the students of his student's student) obvious shock as they soaked in the beautiful sight in front of them. "Well, what are you waiting for? Come on!"

Slowly, each of them stepped onto the grass and out of the gash. Then, they caught sight of the magnificent mansion in front of them. "Woah," Obito breathed.

"This place is beautiful," Rin agreed, turning around to appreciate the trees and the mountains surrounding the gated community of Bradbury.

Kakashi took an experimental sniff, and found himself rather liking the scent. It was similar to Konoha, but slightly different. Jiraiya just looked around, amazed by everything he saw. Then, he jerked around.

Something moved in his peripheral vision, and years of shinobi training had the entire group, save for Sarutobi, tensed and ready to fight.

"Oh my! You are here! I'm so glad to meet you!" Karen, also known as Miki, rushed out of her kitchen door and practically ran across her backyard to reach the group. "Sarutobi! Long time no see!"

She offered all of them a dazzling smile and to Jiraiya, Rin, Obito, and Kakashi's utter shock, reached out and hugged their leader.

To their more surprise, he hugged back. "Miki, it has been such a long time," he agreed. Smiling kindly down at the smaller woman, he turned around to introduce the rest. "This is Jiraiya, Kakashi, Rin, and Obito. Everyone, this is Uzumaki Miki, the matriarch or the Uzumaki clan,"

Stunned that the wife of the clan leader would hug anyone, let alone their Hokage, they all bowed.

Miki laughed light heartedly. "Oh, no need to bow. Here we do things differently. I hope Sarutobi has told you?"

"Yes," Kakashi said.

"That's great! Sarutobi, will you be staying for a cup of tea?"

"Sorry, I must go. I have work."

"What a pity. Please wait." She halfway turned and called, "Andrew! Andrew, please come and say hello! The guests are here!"

Having just woken up 10 minutes ago, Andrew, or Shinzou ran his hand through his red hair and poked his head out the kitchen door. Recognizing the Hokage, he quickly slipped on some flip-flops and walked across the lawn. "Saru-jisan. It's good to see you," he said while hugging Sarutobi to a loose hug.

"Haha, yes, it's good to see you too Shinzou. Why don't you introduce yourself to these four?" Sarutobi gestured to the rest.

Straightening up, Andrew grinned. "Hello. I'm Uzumaki Shinzou, also known as Andrew. I'm the eldest son..the heir, you might say,"

Obito's jaw dropped. "_You're_ the heir?" he gasped.

Shinzou cocked his head. "Is there something wrong?"

Obito shook his head vehemently. "It's just that...You're so cool! I thought all clan heirs were stuck up and quiet and ugly. But you..you're really handsome! And tall! And strong looking!" his eyes sparkled.

"Um, thanks," Shinzou raised a brow in question. Behind Obito, Kakashi shook his head in annoyance.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Uzumaki-san," Kakashi nodded to the redhead.

Shinzou laughed. "Didn't we tell you we do things differently here? No suffixes please. Just call me Shinzou or Andrew. It doesn't matter." Shinzou looked over to Jiraiya. "Nice to meet you," he said pleasantly, holding out his hand.

Flummoxed, Jiraiya uncertainly held out his hand and gripped the other's hand in a handshake. Sarutobi watched bemused at his student's hesitation.

"Well, I best be going. Have fun, all of you. And thank you, Miki, for agreeing to this." he politely nodded to Karen.

She smiled and waved a hand. "No problem. Come again!"

"I will."

With a swish of his dagger, Sarutobi was gone.

Shinzou smirked. "Come," he said, walking back to the kitchen door. "I'll show you to your rooms."

Running to catch up with the redhead's quick stride, the four ninja shared another glance. "Is sensei here? How come he didn't come out to greet us?" Rin asked.

Shinzou flapped a hand dismissively. "He's at school with Temjin and Kushina. You've met Temjin before, I think?"

Kakashi gaped. "They're _still_ in school?"

"Yup," Shinzou grinned broadly. "So am I. I'm just home because I'm on winter vacation."

"What?" Jiraiya's eyes were wide. "How old are you?"

"I'm 19. My birthday's in March." He shook off his flops and opened the screen door. "Come on in."

The ninja took off their shoes, curiously looking about the kitchen.

"You have a beautiful home," Rin gushed.

"You've only just seen the kitchen, though," Shinzou chuckled and led them to the living room. "This is the living room. We have another living room upstairs. Your rooms will be down here."

No one was listening to him.

Everyone was focused on staring at the grand staircases and the chandeliers, and admiring the frescoes.

Shinzou cleared his throat. "Umm, guys? Can I show you to your rooms now?"

"Sorry," they muttered and followed Shinzou down the hallway and into their respective rooms.

"I apologize for this, but we have two guest rooms. Would it be alright if the three of you shared a room and Jiraiya had a room to himself? Or if you like you can ask Minato if it's alright to crash with him," Shinzou asked.

"We'll set our belongings down for now and decide later," Kakashi decided. "Thank you for the offer."

"No problem. You hungry? Did you have lunch?"

They all nodded. Shinzou nodded in confirmation. "Then let's go to the living room. We need to wait two more hours till Minato and Kushina and Temjin will be free."

"Excuse me, but could you please explain how your world works?" Kakashi asked in a formal, respectful tone. Shinzou glanced down at the silver haired boy.

"I will. First, sit down."

When everyone sat down on the couch, Shinzou leaned back and thought. "Hmm, first of all...you guys are Minato's students?"

"I'm his teacher," Jiraiya said. "They're his students." he motioned to the younger shinobi.

Shinzou snorted. "That punk is a teacher?"  
"Don't insult sensei like that!" Obito was up and angry in a flash.

Shinzou raised his hands in an attempt to calm things down. "Woah, dude, I'm not insulting him. He's my little brother, and it's funny that a young guy already has students."  
"Sensei's a Jounin, he's perfectly qualified to teach us," Rin said quietly.

"I know, I know. Don't take offence. Sheesh." Shinzou lowered his hands. "Anyways, here, we don't have any ninja. Instead we are extremely advanced in technology. If you haven't noticed, there are cars standing outside in the streets."

"Because of this, we value education. Here, without a proper education you can't even get a job. Many kids go through kindergarten, or maybe even daycare before that. After kindergarten, they enter elementary school starting from age 6 to age 10 or 11. Then after that, they go to middle school, or Junior high from 11-14, and then they go to high school from 14-19. However, all this is just preparation to go to college, which comes after high school."  
Rin raised her hand. "So are you in college, Shinzou-san?"

"Yes. And drop that suffix. There are many different colleges and universities in the world. They differ in their quality of education and prestige. How well you do in high school ultimately determines what kind of college/university you will go to. Of course, financial situations have a big hand in this too. Generally, those who get the most, best, education get better paid jobs than those who go to crappy schools.

"I go to Harvard University, one of the most prestigious universities in the world. Right now I'm in winter break, so I came back home. Minato, Kushina, and Temjin are all in high school. Temjin is a junior and he will go to college in two years. Kushina and Minato will go to college in 4-5 years. Any questions so far?"

Kakashi raised his hand. "Does your wealth determine what kind of university you go to?"

"No. It's your grades. Of course, college education isn't cheap. You see, here in the U.S we are required by law to go to school. But college isn't. It's voluntary, but for obvious reasons the majority chooses to go to college. It's not just for a job, but for your reputation, and your degree of education too. Because of this, college costs a lot of money. However, if your grades are good, then they might grant you scholarship. The important thing is your brains, not your financial status." Shinzou explained.

Obito's eyes were wide. "So, you go to Harvard University because you're really smart?"

Shinzou made a peace sign. "That's right. I don't mean to brag, but Harvard University only accepts 8% of all its applicants and is hailed as one of the best universities in the world. I double major in Computer science and Mathematics. I minor in business entrepreneurship too. I plan on founding my own company."

"Wow! That's amazing! But what does it mean to major?" Obito asked. Jiraiya leaned forward, quite interested in the conversation.

"Majoring is focusing on one subject that you want to do intensive study in...like I studied all subjects all around when I was in high school, but when I got to college I decided that I wanted to study Math and Computer science, so I majored in that. I still have other subjects, but they aren't my priority anymore, you see? A major should be related to what kind of job you want to have. It wouldn't make sense to be a business major and then want to be a Physician."

"You speak Japanese very well. I thought you all spoke a different language around here?" Jiraiya asked.

"Oh, here in U.S we speak English, but every country is different. Here, let me show you," Shinzou brought a globe and began explaining. Karen brought some juice and fruit and they chatted until 4:00.

Peering over at the clock, Shinzou set his juice cup down and stood up. "It's time to go pick them up. You guys better wait here. I don't have room to hold all of you in the car."

Jiraiya sat up. "Can't I come? I really miss Minato."

"So do we!" Minato's students angrily retorted.

"All of you stay here. Like I said, no room. And I still have to tell them that you're here," Shinzou walked to the shoe room and pulled out his sneakers. Tying them on, and feeling the scrutiny of the shinobi present at their curiosity at a strange looking shoe, he grabbed the car keys and waved good-bye.

The Shinobi watched as Shinzou drove away in his car.

* * *

**(English)**

"**...aaAAND HERE COMES JOHNNY! 100 METER DASH IN 13 SECONDS!"** cried the track coach. Those who were aspiring to be part of the track team were gathered around the tracks. Kenneth and Cassie and Matthew were there along with many of their friends, including Johnny.

Johnny completed his run in 13 seconds. Cassie had completed hers in 9, completely surprising everyone and setting the new record for girls. Matthew ran his in 8, once again setting the record in boys. Since they were all secretly shinobi, this was a piece of cake. However, since they did not charge any chakra to their legs to speed up, their raw speed was pretty impressive.

"**...next! Kenneth Namikaze!"** A cheer ran up. Johnny, panting, came up and punched Kenneth in the shoulder.

"**Let's see you top my speed, Kenneth."** smirking, Johnny challenged.

Kenneth just smirked back. Warming up and stretching, he got into the ready position at the start of the tracks. He knew that the use of chakra was forbidden, so he'd have to run with his muscles and agility.

"**...GO!"**

Kenneth was off, speeding away in a near yellow blur. He ran as fast as he could without chakra, and when he hit the 100 meter line and the timer clicked, there was silence.

"**...Kenneth.." **the track coach said softly, staring at the timer like it was lying. **"...100 meter dash at 6.4 seconds."**

Silence.

"**DUDE YOU'RE AMAZING!"** everyone surrounded him, including Johnny. **"how did you run so fast?"**

"**You made the team for sure,"** Cassie joked.

"**Man, I've gotta work on beating you next time,"** Johnny complained.

"**Hey, you're pretty fast yourself,"** Cassie told him.

"**But not as fast as you two. Seriously, 6.4 seconds? That's unreal!"**

"**That was great, Namikaze,"** the coach came up. **"Can I count on you to be in our distance team?"**

Stunned, Kenneth, just nodded. **"You want me on the team?"**

"**Yup. And you too, Uzumakis,"** he said, addressing Cassie and Matthew at the same time.

"**Coach, coach! What about me?"** Johnny eagerly asked.

Coach laughed. **"You're in too!"**

"**YES!"**

"**Hey, Kenneth, Cassie, Matthew! You guys done with your tryouts?" **Andrew came walking up.

The three turned to their coach. He waved his hand. **"Don't worry. You guys can go. Johnny, you have to run for me one more time to see if you're a sprinter or a distance runner."**

"**Thanks coach,"** the siblings turned and gathered their stuff.

Approaching Andrew, who looked like he was thinking hard about some things, Kenneth asked, **"Something up? And we missed you by the way."**

"**Hmm, I missed you guys too,"** he grunted.

"**Welcome back!"** Cassie hugged her brother. **"I didn't think you would come to pick us up!"**

"**Mom is busy," **

"**With what?"** Matthew tucked his stuff into the trunk. He slid into the front seat.

"**With some...guests. You'll see when you get home."**

* * *

Minato's reaction? Review please!

-Hulk.


	18. The Visit: Part 2

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me. It belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

UPDATED: 5/3/10

NOTE: Thanks to all those who have faithfully continued to review. This is my first fic, and you guys are the only ones who kept on encouraging me to write more. Thanks for everything.

**English**

Japanese.

* * *

"Are they here yet?" Obito impatiently lingered by the window. Anxiously, he played with the shutters on the windows.

"Obito stop touching that! What if you break it?!" Rin huffed, placing her hands on her hips in an annoyed manner. "We're _all_ waiting for sensei, so just shut up!"

"Obito, if you call yourself an elite from the Uchiha, then act like one." Kakashi coldly glared at the spiky haired boy, who was now scrunching his face to tune out the beseeching.

Jiraiya, uninterested, stared out the other window. It was around twenty-five minutes since Shinzou (the heir) had left to fetch his siblings and Minato in that strange machine called a 'car.' The thing had pulled out of the driveway smoothly, disappearing out of view in less than a minute. It was obviously faster than a regular human, and possibly faster than a shinobi, though he doubted it.

But if that thing was so fast, why weren't they here yet? Irritated from the wait, he tapped his foot on the ground in a quick rhythm.

Miki chuckled lightly at their nervousness. Even if they tried not to show it, she could clearly see that all four of them were jittery at the thought of meeting Minato after so long. Sitting calmly on her couch, she carefully sipped at her tea.

Everyone's eyes whipped to the front doors as the sound of a car pulling in caught their attention.

Before anyone could do anything, the front door opened and Shinzou walked in, talking animatedly with three other people..one who had bright yellow hair.

The shinobi stopped breathing.

Taking note of the situation, Shinzou paused in the middle of putting his shoes away and said, "**Say hello to the guests guys,"**

"**Hello!" **Kushina brightly chirped, but stopped when she registered the confused expression on their faces. "Oh, sorry. Do you not speak English?"

"Nice to meet you," Temjin briefly greeted before he marched upstairs with his stuff, carrying his track shoes in the crook of his elbow.

"Hello—." Minato trailed off. As their eyes met, he stood stock still, the hand with his track bag in hand going slack. "Ji-raiya? Kakashi, Rin, Obito?"

Jiraiya met Minato's shocked gaze with a steady one. "Yo, kiddo."

The other three ninja tensed slighty, gauging their sensei's reaction. With every passing second, they grew more and more antsy.

Minato let out a breath/smile. Dropping his bag along with his backpack, he strode with confident steps toward his old sensei, crossing the distance in a few broad steps. When he walked right up to the Sannin, he reached out and..

..and hugged him.

Jiraiya's eyes widened. Since when did shinobi go around giving hugs to each other? Since when did Minato start giving away hugs? The boy was shy, and was reluctant to ever instigate signs of affection on his own. If anyone ever did something to as graze his hand, he blushed, and became uncomfortable, let alone hugs. Who is this Minato?

Team seven looked on in horror. Was this their teacher? The one who always seemed so self-conscious when it came to relationships and displays of intimacy?

"Sensei?" Rin breathed. Minato detached himself from Jiraiya and gave her a wide grin.

"Hey Rin. Long time no see. Been doing well?" he cocked his head.

At this, the other boys stood up. "It's sensei!!" and the three jumped on the blonde.

"Woah, woah, no need to run in the house," he laughed and patted them on the head. "all of you are so tall! Has it been really that long?"

"You're taller too, gaki." Jiraiya walked up and scrutinized Minato head to toe. "Looks like they've been feeding you alright. You got more muscle and height than I last remember."

"Really?" Minato scratched his head. "I haven't been working out very much over here, though."

"It must be the sword exercises you do all the time. You never skip a day," Kushina piped. Startled, she looked around as all eyes focused on her. "Oh, excuse me. I'm Uzumaki Kushina, Shinzou's younger sister. I'm sorry I addressed you all in English earlier. It was very ignorant and rude of me."

"It's alright," Minato assured her. "Anyone would have thought that guests in this house would only be those of this world. Who knew anyone else other than Sarutobi-sama would come over from the Ninja world?"

"That's no excuse," Kushina however, looked brighter and considerably comforted. "By the way, the one that went upstairs is-"

"Uzumaki Temjin, second born," Temijn introduced himself as he held out his hand to Jiraiya, and to each of Team Seven in return. "You can call me Temjin or Matthew. It doesn't matter." Then, he examined Jiraiya's spiky, long white hair. "...Did we ever meet?"

Jiraiya rolled his eyes up, thinking. "...I don't think so."

Temjin just shrugged. He was sure he had seen that white mane somewhere before. Oh well.

"It's wonderful that you all came back at the right time. How did track tryouts go?" Miki pleasantly asked.

Kushina rounded on her mother. "Oh, it was amazing! Guess how fast I ran? How fast Minato ran? Guess guess!!"

"It's nothing to be proud of," Minato rubbed his neck sheepishly.

"Nothing to be proud of?" Temjin interrupted incredulously. "You just ran the entire 100-meter dash in less than 7 seconds! That's gotta be a world record or something!"

Kakashi frowned. "But sensei can run even faster than that. We all can."

"Only by channeling chakra," Shinzou replied. "Not with sheer speed and agility."

Obito went starry-eyed. "You ran in less than 7 seconds without your chakra? That's amazing sensei!"

Minato just smiled.

"I gotta say, you really grew, 'nato." Jiraiya put his hand on top of Minato's shaggy head and measured his height against his own. He was quite surprised to find it coming up level with his mouth. "Last time I saw you, you were barely up against my shoulder, let alone my chin!"

"Not a gaki anymore, huh?" Minato smirked.

"Nope, you're still a gaki." Everyone laughed.

"Come on, Minato, Kushina. Go get cleaned up. You're still all sweaty from running," Miki chided. "I'll make dinner, so take a shower for the time being! After shower, do your homework and practice your violin!" Rounding on Shinzou and Temjin, she said, "And boys, this goes for you two as well. Go practice your music. I haven't you play in too long,"

"Hai," they chorused. Moving up to the piano, Temjin sat down and began playing the Fantasie Impromptu, while Kushina, Minato and Shinzou moved upstairs to put their stuff down and to take a shower/bring their instrument down.

The shinobi's eyes grew round at the fluidity of Temjin's fingers and the amazing music it produced. "Shinzou-san, what is that?" Obito asked, pointing to the wooden object he was currently carrying down the stairs.

"This? This is a Cello. It's an instrument." He took a chair and sat in front of the piano. "Play some accompaniment for me, Temjin?"

Nodding, the younger sibling's tone shifted, and morphed into a more subdued, sad tune, and taking his bow in hand, Shinzou closed his eyes and began to play. Out of all the siblings, Temjin was the best at the Piano, though his main instrument was the Contrabass.

Miki leaned her head back and listened to the flowing music, relishing in its sound. She walked to the kitchen and started to pull out ingredients, but continued to listen.

Jiraiya, Kakashi, Obito, and Rin was intrigued. The sound was so comforting, yet with a sad undertone. Depressing, yet light and touching. "It's beautiful," Rin finally spoke.

It really was. The harmony between the Piano and the Cello, and the work between the two brother's hands made the entire house alive with the sound of music, and even battle-hardened Jiraiya felt relaxed and comforted.

At the compliment, Shinzou raised his head. "Thank you," he smiled. "You can go check out Minato's room, if you like. You don't need to listen to us play,"

"Is it alright?" Rin asked hopefully.  
"Yup, just don't disturb his shower. His room is the first one to the left up the left staircase."

Getting up quietly, as to not draw attention, the four ninja scaled the left staircase. Three-quarters way up, they saw the grand chandelier up close, and Rin ahhed.

"Rin, stop it! Act like a proper ninja!" Kakashi snapped.

"Oh loosen up!" Obito injected. "Didn't you hear what they said? NO NINJA AT THIS PLACE! There's no need to be on your guard. Are you deaf or something?"

"What did you say?"

"You didn't hear that too? You really must be deaf."

"Stop it you two!" Rin came between them and shook her head. "We're guests at their house, and we're already arguing in the middle of the stairs? It's dangerous, let's go up first."

"Arguing already?" At the sound of their teacher's voice, the children looked up.

"Sensei!" the chorused, seeing Minato's smiling blue eyes and wet hair staring down from the second floor.

"Hurry up and come up, you guys look stranded." Minato laughed. "I'll show you my room. Have you guys decided where to sleep yet?"

Running up, Kakashi shook his head. "No, not yet. Though Shinzou-san was kind enough to show us the guest bedrooms."

"I see." Minato opened his bedroom door. "uh, so..um, yeah, this is my room."

As the three young shinobi walked inside, they took in the expanse of Minato's room. It was very tidy, with a soft, clean feel, and light yellow walls and dark brown furniture. The window was wide open, and the pine scent drifted inside.

"I love your room," Rin breathed. "It's so pretty."

"Considering how yellow is such an irritating color, this is actually pretty nice," Kakashi commented.

"Hey, don't say that. Kushina and everybody else decorated this room for me. It was very nice of them to do so." Minato shook his head.

"**Kenneth? Are you done with your shower?"** A knock sounded at the door. **"Mom want's us to practice Violin," **

"**I'll be right there,"** he replied. At the flabbergasted look on his student's faces, he smirked. "What's up with the surprise? Didn't you hear from Shinzou that we all speak a different language here?"

"But-but we never expected you to speak it!" Obito burst out. "I thought you, uh, well, you.."

"Somehow understood while miraculously not saying a word?"

"Yes."

Minato laughed. It was a heartfelt, bright laugh, and his student's looked about in mild shock. Since when had their sensei gotten so expressive with his emotions?

The blonde scratched his head at their stunned faces. "Well, I gotta go practice, so feel free to look around. There's a lot of rooms you haven't seen yet, so go explore. After dinner, I'll see if you guys can go out or something. I'm done with school for the week." He bent down and picked up his violin case. "I'll be in Kushina's room."

Nodding dumbly, team seven walked out of Minato's room. Minato walked next door to Kushina's room, where soon sounds of music began flowing out.  
"Wow, is that sensei?" Obito asked, his eyes wide at the sound.

"Where did he learn to play an instrument?" Rin was wide-eyed as well, wanting to inch closer to the door.

"He probably learned it from them." Kakashi pointed to Temjin and Shinzou. "It must be a clan thing."

Jiraiya's head poked out from the edge of the stairs. "You gakis already seen Minato's room?" he asked, climbing the rest of the flight.

"Ooh, Jiraiya-sama, this is so amazing! Listen to them play!" Rin gestured to Kushina's door. True enough, there was the sound of two Violins playing in synch.

Jiraiya furrowed his brows. "Minato's practicing music? Since when did he ever play music?"

The ninja shrugged.

Jiraiya was shocked. Well, not shocked shocked but stunned to say the least. Minato was..different. Much different. Especially, from what he had concluded from sneaking into his student's room under the pretense of going to the restroom, he was much too different.

Jiraiya sadly held up the battered yellow book he had filched from Minato's room.

* * *

"**So, this is what we're going to play for Mom's birthday?"**

"**Yup,"** Kushina played a few lines. **"Do you like it? It's a duet."**

"**I like it. It just has to do with me keeping up with you," **Minato nervously rubbed his neck. The sheet music in front of him was slightly, if not entirely nerve-wracking. The black dots and lines that filled up the five pages made a complex pattern that made his eyes swirl a bit into his skull.

Kushina peered over at his face and smothered a laugh. **"Don't worry, it's not as hard as it seems. Don't panic just because of all the black stuff."**

Minato just picked up his violin and tried to sightread it. **"Am I even playing this right?"** the notes came out strangled, and choked on its on vibrating string, causing a none too pleasant screech.

"**Um, why don't I play it for you first, and then you can listen to it and hear how it's played?"** Kushina suggested. **"I'll play my part first, and then I'll play yours." **She slung her violin over her shoulder.

Raising her bow, she placed them on the strings and gave it a gentle stroke.

Smooth, beautiful notes filled her room. Studying his copy of the music closely, Minato followed the articulations and notes with his eyes. From the corner of his eye, he saw Kushina's arm moving in rhythm with the sound, the bowings correct and straight. Her silvery gray eyes were fixed on the strings.

It was funny, how his reunion with Jiraiya and the others brought such invigorating emotions from within. The difference between Konoha ninja and her was so palpable, so tangible, he could reach out and grab it. But that's what attracted him to her.

She was different. She was strong, with long hair. Strong with no callouses, no rough spots. Intelligent, without having to come up with life-determining strategies. His former life and the current one was like comparing a dull tin shield with a brightly polished mirror. She made everything so clear.

He hadn't really noticed it until now, when he had met with the Konoha-nin. Until he heard her voice call out to him to practice not too long ago, he hadn't understood why the shinobi were staring at him oddly. Jiraiya looked at him like he grew a second head. Really, he didn't change that much, did he? Or was it something else that had triggered the difference in him? He too knew the change that had been occurring inside his body, the warmth that crept from the bottom of the heart and all the way to the tops of his smiling lips, ones that had never made much contact with his lips, period.

Now, it was a regular thing.

The same with the laughs. He never laughed much. Laughing came just as easily as it did with flinging a kunai or learning a new jutsu. And the physical contact? He was never one for hugs. Ninja didn't touch each other much. They were tough that way. But now? He hugged everyone whenever he felt like it, and they hugged him back whenever they felt like it. But he didn't feel any less weaker than before. In fact, he felt stronger than ever. It was the first time he had made sense of Jiraiya's teachings...having precious people did make you stronger. So what was the catalyst? What started this all?

It was her that made the difference.

Watching her hand play on the fingerboard, he suddenly reached out to grab it, forgetting his former attachment to the sheet music, now totally fixated on her hand.

Kushina, surprised nearly dropped her violin. "Minato?"

He didn't speak, but just pulled her hand close and rubbed it gently with his thumb. Predictably, she blushed, setting her Violin down. **"Is there something wrong? Is this because you want to go talk with the others? I mean, it's fine, you know..I'm sure you want to spend time with your friends...I-I just wanted to spend some time with you alone.."**

"**There's nothing wrong,"** Minato pulled her closer.

She bit her lip. **"No, I'm just taking up your time. I should--"** She made a move to stand, but Minato pulled her down onto his lap.  
**"There's nothing wrong," **he repeated, burying his face into her hair.

Kushina was feeling content. She had been jittery, worried, but hiding it skillfully inside. She was scared of how Minato would react to meeting his teammates again after so long, if he missed his former life. If he would leave her for the previous lifestyle he led.

Minato holding her like this washed away her fears. Her initial worries seemed foolish now. Almost to the point of her looking like an idiot.

_You idiot_ She chastised herself anyway. _Minato would never leave us. He's the most responsible, most dedicated guy I know._

Feeling her satisfaction, Minato raised his head and grinned. **"Were you worried about something?"**

There was no reply as Kushina turned beet red.

"**Haha, let's get back to practice, shall we?"**

"**Hey, that's what I was doing until you did that weird stuff to me!"**

"**Weird what?"**

"**Like touching..touching my hand while I was playing.."**

"**What hand?"**

"**My hand."**

"**The one on your arm?"**

"**Duh!"**

"**...So let's practice?"**

"**Stop trying to change the subject!"**

"**What subject?"**

"**Stop! You were touching me!"**

"**That's what she said.."**

"**Oh my God, I am gonna kill you!"**

"**Kill what?"**

"**STOP DOING THAT!"**

"**..let's practice."**

**"Ugh! I hate you!"  
**

**

* * *

**

Minato sat on his bed, thinking, having just finished his homework for the weekend. Dinner had progressed smoothly, Miki whipping up some Japanese cuisine in courtesy of the guests. After dinner, Shinzou had led them all in a game of mafia. It had been hilarious, and difficult at the same time, to try and figure out the killer. With everyone having shinobi training, the task was much harder than normal, which made the game much more fun.

The killer turned out to be Rin, and everyone was surprised, especially how they never even suspected it would be her. She covered her position flawlessly.

What was strange was the way Jiraiya kept on eyeing him all throughout the evening. He was sizing him up, Minato supposed, but why? He was his student, not an enemy. What made his dear old sensei look at him with such guarded eyes?

He got up from the bed and walked out of his room to get some cold water. Walking down the stairs he could distantly hear Kakashi and Obito having another fight in their room. Sighing he shook his head, but a slow smile crept up his cheeks.

"Minato," a sudden voice, and he jumped.

"Jiraiya-sensei?" he cautiously asked. "I didn't know you were there. What are you doing?"

The white haired Sannin apprehensively approached his student with crossed arms. "Just thinking about something."

"Like what?" Minato cocked his head, grinning. "Don't tell me, you miss the hot springs."

Jiraiya just quietly stared at the blonde, who began fidgeting a little under the intense gaze. "No." he finally replied quietly.

Minato took a step back. Something was definitely wrong here. "Sensei?"

Jiraiya held out a battered, ancient-style bound book with Chinese characters on its yellow cover. "What is this?"

Minato took one glance at it, and inwardly cursed. He meant to tell Jiraiya sometime, but he wasn't planning on his teacher finding out ahead of time. "Um.."

Large and fat, in thick, beautiful calligraphy, were the words, "Rozuzansei no Tairyu."

Jiraiya spoke. "I was speaking with Miki-san about the clan techniques. Apparently this is not their standard taijutsu style. She tells me it's one of their specialized styles, one that is passed down from master to deshi. Tell me Minato: what is this?"

"Uh, you see--"

"So you've already gotten tired of your old sensei?"

"NO! It's just that...things happened, and it was an opportunity to learn something new, so I--"

"You took it. Without thinking about me."

"That's definitely not true. I always think about you. Believe it or not, the first week I was here, I even had a mini you float around in my head." Minato smiled a little at the memory. "I missed all of you terribly. How could you ever accuse me of forgetting you? You are my one and only teacher, sensei. The master that is handing down these techniques to me I will be obligated to call her my shihan, but I'll know that it's just a title and not anything really worth bonding."

With a calm, composed gaze, Jiraiya merely stared, with his arms crossed. And stared. And stared.

Then he jumped onto Minato's lanky frame and enveloped him in a great big bear hug. "OH, Minato! I THOUGHT YOU—YOU!! 'Sniffle' I THOUGHT YOU FORGOT ABOUT MEEEE!!!~"

"Yes, yes. It was hard wasn't it?" Minato condescendingly patted Jiraiya's back. "Is that why you were so quiet all day, Sensei? Normally you would have launched into a 'the great Jiraiya is here' dance and loudly proclaim that all the lovely ladies were yours."

Jiraiya untangled himself and in an undignified way, wiped his eyes and nose, sniffling. "Even I don't do that in potential enemy land. And if they didn't turn out to be hostile adversaries who weren't actually keeping you hostage and torturing you, then they are still the heads of the Uzumaki clan, and I have to be respectful."

"Gee, I never thought you had it in you."

"Hehe, well anyway...that Kushina's pretty hot, don't you think? She has the best legs I've seen in a while. I bet she gets them from her mother."

"Sensei! You weren't checking Miki-san out, were you? Just so you know, Naoki-san is coming home soon, and you better make a good impression on him. He's the friend of Sandaime-sama. Oh, and did you bring a present for Miki-san's birthday?"

"I did. It's nothing perverted, don't worry. Before I left, Sarutobi-sensei checked my bag to make sure I wasn't carrying anything that would shame the village."

"AND, don't check out Kushina out either! If I catch you leering at her, I promise I'll show you how accurate my sword techniques are by sharpening them on your midsection." Minato growled, his eyes going icy and fiery. "The Uzumaki have taught me well and I am not afraid to take up my sword on you. There's no chakra allowed here anyway."

Jiraiya raised his hands. "I get it!" then he scratched his shaggy head. "But why are you so protective of her anyway?"

Minato snorted. "Why else? She's my girlfriend."

"..."

Minato gulped. Crap, he shouldn't have said that..! Shinzou didn't even know this yet..what if Jiraiya leaks this? He'll be dead! And said outburst is in 3...2....1...

"KUSHINA'S YOUR GIRLFRIEND????"

He's dead.

* * *

Author's note: Well, hope you liked it. Sorry about the late update. I went to state competition for one of my club activities. After that I had my CSTs..yes my dear readers, I am still in grade school. And yes, I live in California.

Once again, thank you to those who continue to review this story. I confess that I was very nervous about publishing my words onto cyberspace, where so many people come and go, but you guys have continued to encourage me to do my best. Please keep supporting this fic and my other fics.

By the way, tomorrow's my birthday!~

-Hulk.


	19. The Visit: Part 3

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me! Unfortunately the copyright belongs to Masashi Kishimoto solely.

Disclaimer2: So Hot belongs to Wondergirls.

Disclaimer3: I take no credit in that little horror story. It's something my friend told me when she used to be in choir way back when we were little kiddies.

UPDATED: 6/10/10 (This was my last week of school...I'm feeling a wave of nostalgia...Summer school, summer homework, and loads of heat, here I come...Oh and today is my friend's birthday:))

AN/: Yeah, yeah, I know. This is way late. But in my own defense I was at this place with no Internet, no radio connection, and no phone lines for three days during Memorial Holiday. Then, when I came back, I was once again swamped with homework, so I was forced to wait for the next weekend to publish this. Then, at the most unfortunate moment when I was just about to press "UPDATE CHAPTER," my Internet for some reason went down and stayed that way for five days. Today, the technician came and fixed it. And because I was feeling sorry, I just kept writing, writing, writing...hehe until it got this long.

WOW, this is my longest chapter ever. I hope you guys like it! OH, and if the mood from this AN and the bottom AN at the end of the fic seem a little..."disconnected," or "the mood doesn't match," or whatever, it's because I wrote that part of the chapter two weeks ago in the mountains where I was cut off from civilization. I was really depressed at that time, so some of my words may seem harsh, but they get the point across.

Happy reading!

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Japanese

**English**

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* * *

How did it feel to be less than an inch away from a growling tiger's yellow eyes, to feel it's hot breath on your own nose? It's paws already glinting with the tips of its sharp claws showing from all the reddish fur?

Minato, an experienced Jounin of Konohagakure and a Freshmen of the local high school, felt that though he had come across many fearsome moments during his career as a shinobi, this was still way out of his league.

He was currently sitting on his arse on the dirt floor of the training basement. One uncomfortable bump poked into his tailbone, and he shifted nervously. Shinzou's maniacally grinning eyes were less than an inch away from his, glaring deeply into his own blue ones. **"So, it was **_**you."**_he breathed.

"**Um, can we talk this out in a civil manner?"** Minato gave the redhead a toothy smile.

Shinzou cackled. **"This is as civil as it will get, Kenneth! So do settle in, we'll be here for **_**awhile.**_**"**

Jiraiya, Obito, Rin, and Kakashi stood not too far away, watching the exchange with wary eyes. After Jiraiya's loud proclamation, Shinzou's door had slammed open, startling the two shinobi. Then, with all the gracefulness of a prowling panther who set his eyes on his prey, Shinzou walked over to their side, grabbed Minato by the collar, dragged him under the house and dumped him onto the basement floor.

Mrs. Uzumaki was used to such things happening around their house. So was Temjin and Kushina. In all their years of diabolical sibling love, lots of things occurred. So they just stayed in their room, completely unfazed. It was nothing that hadn't happened before.

However, at the noise, Minato's students had come bounding out and ready, looking for the threat. There was none, obviously. But soon, they all stiffened at the sight of their sensei being hauled off like a piece of luggage.

Although they very much wanted to jump the Uzumaki heir and yell, "What are you doing to our sensei!" they were hopelessly bound by the malicious intent rolling off Shinzou's frame. Jiraiya unhelpfully just watched as his favorite student was carried off.

The ninja, having followed the two "brothers" down to the basement, held their breath as the blonde and the redhead conversed in English. Jiraiya was inwardly frustrated. If only he could understand! He wouldn't be able to raise a hand to the heir while they were in his territory, AND they were supposed to be guests.

But it seemed like the heir didn't mean to kill Minato, though he looked as if he wanted to permanently disable him instead. So Jiraiya settled for simply watching from the sidelines.

Minato flashed Shinzou another bright smile. **"Now, what are you so pissed about?"**

He snorted. **"You seriously don't know?"**

"**Nope. I have a few things that ring a couple of bells but I don't think they need any permission from you." **he tapped his chin.

"**Nice try, bastard."** Shinzou picked Minato up by his collar again and cocked one of his fists back for a spiral loaded punch. Minato gulped.

"**Woah, woah! Will you please listen?"** Minato pleaded, having noticed that his innocent tactic wasn't going to work. **"I said that I already know what you're pissed at! I just don't think I need any permission from you!"**

Shinzou lowered his fist. **"Ho?"**

"**Really! If you **_**are **_**talking aboutwhat I **_**think **_**you're talking about, then I shouldn't need any permission!" **

"**And why is that? Care to explain?" **He cracked his knuckles.

"**Because! Then that means that you still think of her as someone undependable and untrustworthy! Why do you think she ran away when she first came to meet me? Don't you think that your overprotectiveness had a lot to do with it?"**

"**hmm," **Shinzou looked contemplative. He stretched out of his crouching position over Minato's legs and dropped the blonde onto the rocky floor. **"I suppose. BUT you can't blame me! It's natural to be protective of your youngest sister!"**

Minato sighed. Then he grinned. **"Anyways, wouldn't you rather it be me than anyone else?" **

"**Don't get cocky, brat." **But Shinzou grinned too. **"I'll admit that you have a point. No wonder Cassie was so happy."**

Minato clapped his hands in triumph and pointed a finger at Shinzou's face. **"Ha! So you see my greatness!"**

"**I said don't get cocky!" **Shinzou gave him a playful shove. **"If I hear one word of displeasure from Cassie I'll..."**

"**Alright, alright, sheesh." **Shinzou offered him a hand and Minato gratefully took it. **"Look, now you made my pants all dirty."**

"**Suck it up. It's proof of my forgiveness."**

"**What forgiveness?"**

"**Shut up, jerk! I'm gonna go talk to Cassie to watch out for you misbehaving around her, so you watch out!" **and the heir took off.

Jiraiya and team seven were baffled at the playful exchanges between the two teenagers. Just a minute ago the mood was murderous, yet now everything seemed normal. They didn't know what their teacher had said in that strange, foreign language, but it certainly had placated the enraged heir.

Carefully approaching the blonde who was gingerly dusting off his jeans, Jiraiya cleared his throat to get his attention. "Oh, sensei. Haha, you saw that, huh?" He sheepishly rubbed his head.

Jiraiya studied his student's face. "You're different, Minato."

Minato furrowed his brow, smiling. "You said that earlier. I think I get the point by now."

"...Since when were you so persuasive?"

That took him off guard. "Huh?"

Jiraiya narrowed his eyes slightly and folded his arms across his chest. "You used to be uptight with handling people matters, 'nato. Even with me. I've never seen you so persuasive...and that's not all. I've never seen you so assertive, diplomatic, confident..."

Minato laughed out loud and waved him off. "Oh, you're just overgeneralizing things. I know I've changed, sensei. And it's not just my social skills either. You'd be amazed to see how the Uzumaki had an influence on me!"

"Minato -sensei?" Rin cautiously stepped forward. "What were -um- the two of you talking about?"

"Oh that," Minato gave them all a foxy grin. "A little dispute over whether I was worthy enough to date his sister," He laughed again. "Nothing to worry about!"

"DATE HIS SISTER?" Obito's eyes were bugging out. "Kushina-san? The really hot redhead-"

"Obito, even if you are my student, I won't forgive you if you eye Kushina." Minato threatened while still smiling. "I _mean it._"

Scared, Obito took a few steps back. Kakashi used this as opportunity to step forward himself. "But sensei, I thought you were uninterested in girls."

"Meh," Minato scratched his neck. "I was an idiot." He grinned. "Life here has made me realize what wonderful creatures girls really are. Don't you agree, Jiraiya-sensei?"

Jiraiya nodded mutely, still quite unnerved by Minato's character.

"You must be really good at their language now, huh?" Rin gushed, clapping her hands. "The way you guys were talking was so amazing! I wish I could understand."

Minato went 'oh!' "Hey, I think I have a solution. I've been twiddling with a few techniques on my free time, you see. And sensei? I want to show you a knew jutsu I've been working on."

Jiraiya's interest piqued. "New jutsu?"

"Yup! I based it from the Uzumaki taijutsu!" He led the group over to a particularly large rock. "Look! This is the original spiral that is crucial to all Uzumaki forms." he placed his hand onto its rough surface and unleashed a perfect chakra spiral. "It deals outer and inner damage, and is used in conjunction with the forms," he looked giddy. "This is achieved by accumulating as much chakra as possible into the hand, and releasing it at it's peak pressure point. Now, I have come up with the theory, that if I somehow held onto that building pressure and compress it _outside_ of the skin, it would deal more damage than it does now."

Jiraiya was impressed. "But it does plenty of damage the way it is. I can imagine the bruises a person might get if hit by one of those spirals." he whistled. "It reminds me of the Hyuuga's Juuken."

"Well, it turns out my idea actually does work. This is how far I've come so far." Holding out his right and and clenching his wrist with his left hand, he grunted, and gathered chakra into his palm.

Gripping his right-hand wrist with his left hand, he focused chakra into his palm. Gritting his teeth, Minato struggled to keep the ball of chakra in place. "This is something I came up with while learning the Uzumaki taijutsu. What do you think?"

"It looks a little unstable. What are you trying to do with it?" Jiraiya carefully analyzed the blue sphere of chakra in Minato's palm.

"I was thinking of a straight up, forward attack with extra pressure added from the chakra to the intended attack location." Minato panted.

Blue, wispy bits of chakra swirled in the palm of the blonde Jounin. "I can only make it go one direction, but I'm thinking that if I get it to spin in all different directions, it'll be much more powerful. Don't you think?"

"Hmm, I think so too, but doing so is no easy feat. It requires time and chakra control. Do you think you can do it?" The toad sage rubbed his chin.

"Probably." Minato rubbed his temples in thought. "You know how I am. I always find a way." he grinned brightly. Then he jumped, startling everyone. "Oh yes! I nearly forgot! I need to show you the other stuff I've been working on! Follow me!" the swirling chakra ball in his hand dissipated as he motioned for them to follow.

He ran up the staircase of the basement, everyone following, unnerved at this hyper ninja they were so unfamiliar with. Taking the grand staircase three at a time, Minato led the group into his room.

Walking immediately over to his bookshelf which held his sealing scrolls and books, he pulled out one writing scroll and proudly showed everyone the prototype seal he had made. "Translators! Isn't it great?"

"Translators?" Jiraiya was genuinely surprised as he fingered the design on the scroll. "You designed this?"

"This is a prototype. I still need to test it on someone, but everyone here already understands English and Japanese...so...will you be my test subject?" Minato asked brightly.

Obito gulped. "W-where does it go?"

"On your ear!" Minato chirped. "Who's first?"

Much to his disappointment, the ninja all began backing away. Things were never good if Minato asked you to be his test subject. Either the seal will go horribly wrong and disfigure you, or it will explode. And none of them, especially Kakashi who depended on his advanced hearing to track down people, and Jiraiya whose life purpose was to hear the squeals of delightful women, wanted to be that test subject. Rin and Obito too, were pretty adverse to the idea of losing an ear.

Minato pouted. "Aww, guys, it's not gonna blow up or anything, I swear. I tried this on myself already, but I can't really tell because I already understand. But rest assured that it won't harm you at all." Still, no one volunteered. Minato was getting impatient. "Come on! Do you want to continue to be confused at what we say in English? This is the only way to find out if the seals work or not! I already told you that it won't hurt you."

After a few wary glances at each other, the shinobi finally agreed. Minato usually wasn't one to exaggerate, and he _was_ one of the best seal makers of his generation. Not quite a seal master yet, but definitely talented. Also, he wouldn't for even a moment put his comrades in a situation where they might be in danger.

"Excellent!" The excited blonde took out a brush and ink from a drawer next to his bed. "Jiraiya-sensei, you first! Come here please."

"You be careful gaki! These are my precious ears." The toad sage covered both ears protectively.

"Aww don't worry. Now turn around so I can paint the seal to the back of your ear." With a few strokes, which was quite cold and ticklish to Jiraiya, Minato painted a perfect minature copy of the design on the scroll onto the back of Jiraiya's ear, right at the spot the ear curves near the top. As a result, the seal was hidden from all the other people, and with the Sannin's mane of spiky white hair, it was doubtful anyone would ever see it unless they were specifically looking for it.

Moving over to the other side, Minato painstakingly painted another identical seal to the same spot on the other ear. Brushing his teacher's hair back to its place, he said, "This will only let you understand the things you hear, and only English. It doesn't work on other languages. And, even if you do understand, it doesn't mean that you can respond back in English. The seal doesn't apply to the mouth, and if it had to, then it would be much more complex, with all the connections to the brain and such."

Minato seriously gazed into his teacher's eyes. "Ready? I'm gonna apply the seal now."

Jiraiya was a little more than just unnerved. "Just do it brat."

Nodding, the Jounin closed his eyes in concentration. Then he brought his hands together and rapidly went through a series of handseals. "Fuin!"

Jiraiya expected something to happen...seals normally gave some sort of sign that it was activated...like it starts to glow or something. Though he couldn't see the top of his ear, he was sure that the seal had no response at all. "Are you sure that it worked, gaki? I didn't feel anything. Is it supposed to be like this?"

"**Yeah, it does that for some reason. But that doesn't mean it's not activated though."**  
Jiraiya rubbed his chin, musing, "How peculiar. Do you suppose this has to do with a particular sequence you used-" Then his eyes snapped to meet the blonde's. Widely grinning blue eyes met his, and Minato burst into triumphant laughter. The little ninja watched dubiously, clearly shocked at what just took place.

Jiraiya, shaking, raised a hand to point at the blonde, who at this point was rolling around the floor, clutching his stomach. "Did you just-?"

"**Hahaha! See, it works!" **Minato wiped some tears from his eyes. Rolling back up to a kneeling position, he coughed some of his laughs away. "What did I just say?"

"Hahaha, see it works?"

"Yes!" Minato pumped his fist and whipped around to face his students, who had their jaws on the floor, stunned. Not only had they never really heard their teacher speak in the foreign language so close, and it was just—just too shocking to hear the toad sage converse back and forth with their teacher. Minato spoke, "See? It's perfect—who's next?"

Dubious, but now more trusting, one by one, all of his students received the translator seal. After the process however, the blonde took off, saying that he _had _to share this with Kushina.

Jiraiya sighed. _Teenage love...such a sweet, intense infatuation...I was like that once. _Then he giggled perversely. _Oh, if only the rest of Konoha sees how he has changed! _Jiraiya's giggle softened into that of a soft smile, filled with pride for his star student. _I'm proud of you Minato. You probably don't realize it yet, but the charisma that rolls off you is bound to attract people...and soon. There is a spirit of a great leader in your eyes. Such attraction and authority is a crucial skill needed for a Hokage._

He paused thinking, and then turned to see Minato's students whispering to each other. _Hmm? Didn't they follow Minato out?_

"...Are they dating?" A timid question, one that came from a small, black haired boy.

"Baka, didn't you hear? Obviously..." That came from the small brown haired girl. Rin...was it?

"..." Kakashi, the one he knew personally due to his connection with Sakumo, was quiet. "I won't accept it. I don't believe it," he muttered almost inaudibly. "That girl with long hair and bouncy personality? She would be a failure as a shinobi! She's clearly weak...sensei needs no one who's as weak as she is."

Jiraiya coughed. The three little students jumped in their spots. "Umm, I think you're judging too soon, Kakashi."

Indignant, Kakashi fisted his little hands. "What? But it's true! No proper Kunoichi would ever let their hair grow so long! And did you see the way she was moving? All giggling and laughing...I'll say she's a total failure!"

Jiraiya narrowed his eyes. He didn't have any special connection with the girl Minato was dating but she was his teacher's best friend's daughter and it would be unmannerly for him to not defend her at all. "If you have really been studying her movements so closely you must have noticed that she has no wasteful movements _at all. _She has balance and poise and her limbs are always in control. And there are Kunoichi who has long hair, like my own teammate for example," Kakashi flinched. He knew all too well where this was going. Jiraiya continued. "Some female ninja keep their hair long not to just flaunt their beauty, but because they're also strong enough to not have it get in their way. Her stride is graceful and almost weightless. Clearly," he directed his almost-glare to the shrinking silver haired boy. "...she is much stronger than you are." he finished.

Kakashi jerked up. "But!" but Jiraiya stopped him.

"Listen, all three of you," he lowered his upper body until it was near their small forms. "A shinobi must all look under the underneath. Minato taught you that, right?" They all nodded, feeling a bit ashamed of themselves. "Well, let this be known to you that so far, all the Uzumaki I have seen are flawless in their bodily movements and strong mental attitude. From what I gather, they are strong. All of them. Including Miki-san." He gave them all a hard nod and gestured them out the door. "Now if you got the message let's go see what your teacher is up to."

They all followed him out to where he was sitting with a pretty red headed girl in the upstairs living room.

"**Cassie, this is so cool! You see, I developed these seals in my free time and I just tested them out and it was like magic!"**

"**What kind of seals?"**

"**Translator seals. I can't believe it worked! Oh! Here they come! Jiraiya, Kakashi, Obito, Rin! Come sit!" **Minato happily gestured to the number of puffies that littered the upper living room. Unlike the downstairs living room, which held an image of formality and elegance, the upstairs living room that separated the rooms of Minato/Kushina/Temjin/Shinzou and the Master bedroom was all the image of comfort, filled with large puffies and cushions, a large tv and stacks of dvds in shelves, and bookshelves lining the wall, and comfy sofas and of course, a grand piano on a podium. Temjin sat on the piano seat, thinking hard about some next lines of a score. At Minato's excited voice, he turned his head to acknowledge the Konoha ninja.

Kushina faced the guests. **"Hello." **She gave them a friendly smile and wave. Kakashi snorted a little at the sight of them sitting next to each other on the overstuffed sofa, but he waved back, nonetheless.

Minato shook his head disapprovingly. **"Cassie, you have to try something less obvious. You were waving! He could have just waved back because you were waving first."**

"**Oh give me a break. I have enough trust in your seals, Kenneth. I don't need extreme evidence," **She lightly teased him, elbowing him in the ribs. **"You guys understand, now, right?" **She gave the ninja another smile.

Rin smiled back. No matter what Kakashi said, she liked the older girl. She was really pretty and her sensei liked her, so she must be something special. "Hai, we do."

Minato laughed. "Well what are you guys doing? Come sit!" He got up and pulled them over to the sofa and the cushions. Looking around in novelty, they stiffly sat down on the floor, not wanting to sit on the sofa, where two lovebirds were sitting together.

An uncomfortable silence passed as the ninja just sat listening to Minato and Kushina talk animatedly about one of their schoolwork. Unsure of what to do, they settled for staring at the beige carpet until finally, Shinzou came and saved them.  
"Hey guys! Look! I was just watching the music video for "So hot" by Wondergirls!" He threw his hands high up into the air, strutting his hip out. "And its so hip!"

"Oh my God..." the rest of the Uzumaki siblings plus Minato groaned and smacked their foreheads. The ninja, half shocked and half amused that a clan heir would behave in such a way, watched silently as the other teens bombarded Shinzou with boos and "why are you so gay?" comments.

Unfazed, Shinzou began dancing, "I'm so...HOT~"

At this, Minato, Kushina, and Temjin each grabbed a puffy off the floor and threw it with all their strength at the college student. "SHUT UP!"

Shinzou yelped as he rebounded off the wall as the puffies rammed him against the hard surface. Falling onto the carpet, he muttered, "you guys are too mean."

"YOU'RE JUST GAY!" the three shouted. Flabbergasted at this strange family bonding, the ninja just gaped. Who would have thought that a clan heir and genius would ever act this way...and to have his younger siblings treat him with such disrespect? It was unheard of!

But at the same time, none of they could deny that Shinzou somehow had unrivaled dignity and authority. Even if he was weird and berated, there was that respect that everyone gave him. Jiraiya, with a keen eye, noted Shinzou's stride and movements. _He's strong. Stronger than Minato. I heard that the people here don't even fight, so how are they all so strong? It's not like their life depends on their strength._

"Hey kids! I'm home!" A booming voice filtered up to the second floor as Shinzou peeled himself off the floor. In one leap, Temjin jumped off the podium and ran to the railing.

"Dad! You're home!"

From the master bedroom, Miki bounded out. "Honey! Welcome home!"

Kushina ran downstairs and gave Naoki a huge hug. "How was your day?"

"Pretty normal. Where are the guests?" He looked around, then saw Jiraiya and Co. coming down the stairs. "Why hello, Jiraiya-san. I'm glad to meet my friend's student at last. And you all must be Minato's students? How are you all doing?" he gave them a familiar smile.

They all bowed, respectfully recognizing this person as the "Professor's" friend and head of Clan Uzumaki. Eating a late dinner, Naoki conversed with Jiraiya as the kids stayed with the teens.

Shinzou grinned. "Let's all sleep together in Minato's room! We can tell ghost stories...everyone bring their pillow and blanket!"

Not waiting for Minato's consent, everyone dashed away, jittery and excited, leaving team seven alone with their sensei.

Minato sighed, then smiled, shaking his head. "Those guys are..." he trailed off. He smiled brightly at his students. "Why don't you guys run along and get your pillows too? It'll be fun."

Uncertain, the 9 year olds ran to get their pillows. Obito asked, "Scary stories?" he clutched his pillow to his chest, a bit spooked.

Kakashi rolled his eyes. "Baka. How scary can those stories be? We're ninja, we faced scarier stuff before. Stop acting like a baby."

Rin fidgeted a little with her pillow, slightly afraid of what to come. But she didn't say anything, not in front of Kakashi.

Kakashi merely pulled his blanket close into his arms and headed for the stairs. Quietly, his teammates followed.

By the time they got to the yellow room, everyone was already there, giddy, sitting in a circle on the carpet. "Ooh, hurry up! We're about to start!" Shinzou yelled excitedly.

"Oh?" a voice came from behind them. "What's this? Are you guys sharing scary stories?" Miki had a wide grin on her face as she shuffled into the room after team seven. "Mind if I go first?"

"Sure why not," Minato handed her the flashlight. Kushina walked over to the switch and turned the room light off. In less than a second, the entire room was engulfed in darkness.

As Kushina rejoined the circle and pulled her pillow close to her heart, Miki began to speak.

"Long time ago, when I was in middle school, I was part of the choir. I was only in sixth grade at that time. One rainy day, when there were thunderclouds in the sky and lightning was cracking the sky in two—our choir director took a sick leave, and so a substitute came to our class. While supervising the class, she told us a story of her own childhood, back when she was a rebellious high school student that wanted freedom from her parents."

_One day, she and her friends wanted to go camping together, but they wanted to go without a chaperone. So they lied to their parents, saying that it was a group trip and that their "friends' parents" will be coming. Believing her lie, her parents told her to take her little sister, Penny, along with them. Although they didn't want to, they took her along, just to keep up the lie. _

_When they reached the cabin, it was a gloomy little place in the middle of nowhere high up in a mountain, where there was no internet, no cellphone, and no radio connection. There was one big room, one small dressing room, and one bathroom. By the time they got there, it was raining fiercely, and lightning was tearing up the sky. Scared and drenched, the group of friends quickly got out of the car and ran into the cabin, each choosing a bunk. For the sake of comfort, they all decided to sleep together in the big room, leaving the smaller room unattended. After everyone took a shower, they relaxed and had fun playing cards. No one noticed that Penny was gone. _

_After a while of playing cards, they heard the sound of water running in the bathroom. None of them paid any notice, thinking that Penny was in the bathroom, taking another shower. Distantly, they could hear someone singing, "Jesus~, loves me. Jesus~, loves me." over and over again. Again thinking that it was Penny who was singing in the shower, the group paid no mind. However, after an hour later, when the voice kept on singing the same tune in the shower, Penny's older sister got a little worried. _

"_Penny, you there? Are you done yet?" she called, as she pushed open the door of the bathroom. When she opened the door, she nearly had a heart attack. The bathroom was empty, despite the sounds of the water running everyone had heard just a moment earlier...despite the sound of water rattling the metal doors just before she came in. Spooked out, she yelled for her friends. "Guys! Penny's not here! Where is she?"_

_Fearful, all of them abandoned their cards and ran to the bathroom, only to find it empty, just as Penny's older sister had. They searched the entire cabin, looking for Penny. Penny's sister even went outside, where it was storming and cracking with thunder, to call for Penny. Finally, one friend noticed the dressing room. "Is she in there?" Not quite brave enough to do it alone, the friends opened the door together, only to see Penny sitting with her face toward the mirror and her back to her sister and her friends. She was staring at a notebook in her lap. _

"_Penny?" her older sister cautiously called out. At the sound of her name, Penny looked up, her eyes completely devoid of conscience, emotion, and humanity. She turned from her neck to stare at the shocked group with her blank, unseeing eyes, just as lightning cracked and illuminated her FACE! _

Miki, who had been speaking in the dark, turned on the flashlight just under her chin just as she demonstrated how Penny turned her head to face the group of friends. No one spoke. Everything was absolutely silent.

Miki continued to speak, turning off her flashlight.

_Scared out of their mind, the girls screamed... some ran away, some ran in, screaming all the while. Someone flickered on the light as they continued to scream, running over to Penny's side. _

_Penny's sister, screaming with fright and horror, ran to Penny's side and shook her. "WHAT HAPPENED!" then she snatched the open notebook from Penny's lap and tried to read it. _

_In mechanical, even writing, Penny had written something for pages and pages. Penny's sister tried to read it, but she couldn't, for everything was written backwards. Her friends joined her, and looking at the open notebook, they held it up to the mirror. They screamed again, now able to read the text, for they saw: "Jesus loves me" written over and over and over again for pages and pages and pages and pages and...all in the same, mechanical handwriting. _

_When they read the words, the screams subsiding from their lips started again, horrified, scared, ghastly frightened. Penny's sister, with half fear, half indignation, threw the notebook across the room and into the wall, where it slid down, crumpled to the floor. She then grabbed Penny, slapped her on both cheeks as hard as she could, then pulled her out to the large room and packed all their belongings. _

_As fast as possible, the friends, pulling a nonresponsive Penny to the car, sped down the mountain and back into civilization. When they were almost to the bottom of the mountain however, Penny started to convulse, sharp movements making her seem like she was having a violent seizure. The friends tried to hold her down, but she just struggled even harder. Finally, just as they hit pavement, Penny screamed. _

_It was a bloodcurdling scream that thudded on their eardrums, and knocked all coherent thoughts out of the minds of the group. After that freakish shriek, Penny shook into silence. Then for the rest of the way home, she was quietly asleep._

Miki began wrapping her her story, clearing her throat.

"Penny's sister, the sub, says that Penny never remembered what happened. They tried asking her, but she just doesn't remember a thing. Even to this day."

Finished with her little horror story, she inspected the dark silence in front of her. The room was dark enough that you couldn't see your hand in front of your face, but she could somehow sense, with a bit of pride, the near tangible fear and tension in the room. "Well then, I hope you enjoyed this little story. Let this be a lesson to you to never lie to your parents." And with that, she left the room.

After she left, everyone maintained that silence for another minute. Finally, sluggishly, Kushina got up and turned on the light, the sudden burst of infrared blinding everyone's vision. "So...any more stories?"

No one wanted to speak up. But at the same time, no one wanted to walk down the dark hallway all by themselves. Even Kakashi was secretly scared out of his mind. Poor Obito was having a panic attack, having his pillow crushed to his chest in a death grip. Rin looked extremely uncomfortable, Temjin looked like he bit into a sour lemon, and Shinzou looked like he just went through the roughest rollercoaster ever.

Kushina and Minato just looked exhausted. They both sagged, and stared at the carpet.

Then, Shinzou's low voice broke the silence. "...Hey...do you guys wanna...sleep together?" It was a timid question, childish even. Kakashi would have scoffed at it. Temjin and Kushina and Minato would have shaken their heads at the eldest sibling and chastise him for his lack of maturity—only as a joke of course. But after that story, no one wanted to argue. In fact, Shinzou's suggestion even seemed profound.

Meeting eyes, Temjin and the others just nodded. "Yeah, why not."

Shinzou jumped up, scaring the others with the sudden movement. "If so...then I'm taking the middle~!" and he dived into Minato's large bed.

Kushina ran from the light switch to jump in next to her eldest brother. "Me too!" They hugged each other, snuggling under Minato's covers. Grimly, Minato got in next to Shinzou, and Temjin fell in a heap next to Kushina.

Eyes traveling over to his team, Minato tiredly motioned for them to join them. "Do you guys want to sleep here? There's plenty of room."

Obito was all for the idea, but Kakashi was stoic. He bowed to Minato, grabbed Obito and Rin's arm, and marched down the stairs.

"Hey! What was that for? I wanted to sleep with sensei!" Obito cried as he yanked his arm away from Kakashi's grip.

Kakashi just mumbled. "...no room..sleep together.."

"What? Didn't quite catch that," Obito put a hand to his ear tauntingly. "What did you say? Speak up! You sound like a little kid who's too scared to say what he wants."

"Obito!" Rin scolded. "Don't insult each other guys, we're a team." she smiled timidly to both her teammates. "What did you want to say, Kakashi?'

"..." Kakashi looked nervous. "Can we sleep together?"

"..." the rest of team seven just stared at the silver haired genius.

Obito burst into loud laughter. "You're kidding! After what you told me about being childish and all that crap.."

Kakashi glared a hole into the floor, his hands curling into a fist. He was just about to punch the annoying little weak excuse of an Uchiha to kingdom come when Rin's soft voice stopped him.

"Of course we can sleep together. I'm scared too. And so is Obito, he just doesn't want to show it." she offered him a kind smile, and he instantly felt better.

And so, team seven crawled into a bed together and fell asleep.

* * *

Next morning, 5:00 AM.

Minato was up early. Considering that he had no school that day, it wouldn't have bothered anything to sleep straight till noon. But he was up early, training in the basement. Sealing away chakra was easy now, almost like breathing. Whenever he sealed his chakra away, he had to take his shoes off, because he wasn't yet at that stage where he could draw Jinki from the ground even with shoes on. It was easier to perform the flexible movements of the Rozuzansei without the shoes anyway.

Dressed in sweats and a t-shirt, Minato slowly moved through the forms of the Rozuzansei technique.

He had memorized the book long time ago. Now, it was just a matter of getting familiar with the moves. It was certainly strange, he thought, now the legs moved at such angles unlike the taijutsu he learned from Jiraiya. The movements reminded him sort of like a mime, where the mime would keep his hands still but only move the head. This, was like keeping the upper torso straight and posed while just moving the legs to attack, kick, bind, block..just everything was done by the legs. Hands weren't part of the attacks at all.

The forms required absolute balance and flexibility. He always stretched every day, to try and become more flexible. But it still didn't seem like it was enough. His master had just come breezing by that one hospital night and left and never came back again. The forms didn't come out cleanly if he didn't force his legs waaay up there, and he was a bit too stiff to do that yet. Knowing his master's personality, he hoped she wouldn't shriek at him for being like a stick when she found the incentive to come back and check on him.

Minato closed his eyes and felt for a pulse in the ground. The stream of Jinki flowing just beneath his feet he drew into his body, and felt the power fill his legs and spine. There was a side note in the book, saying that the Rozuzansei automatically draws Jinki to the necessary body parts. Unlike some other techniques, like the Tenzantenken, where you have to manually train to get the Jinki to go where you want it to, Rozuzansei itself does it for you. It's a side effect of learning the technique.

Jumping into the air, Minato flew into the first three katas of the Rozuzansei, his leg turning, bending, and curving at certain moments, as if the leg was doing the job of hands and legs and weapons at the same time.

"That's quite a technique. Is that the Rozuzansei?" A voice startled Minato. Breaking his concentration, he fell not too gracefully onto the rocky floor.

"Ow owow," he moaned as he saw Jiraiya walking over to where he was. "Oh hey, Jiraiya-sensei. What are you doing up so early?"

"Hmm. Habit."

"Yeah right. You're usually drunk and asleep till afternoon." Minato stood up and dusted his clothes off.

"Did you see me drunk yesterday?" Jiraiya huffed. His eyes trailed over to Minato's hair. "...and I see you did something to your hair. I almost didn't recognize you from over there. I can't seem to read your chakra signature either. What did you do?" He leaned in closer.

Minato met Jiraiya's eye, and smiled a bit when the white haired sage's eyes widened.

"Minato.." he stumbled. "Your eyes... What in the world..?"

"Didn't you hear from Miki-san?" Minato grinned. "This is what happens when you activate the seal." he showed Jiraiya the seal engraved to his skin on the underside of his wrist.

Jiraiya, with rapt attention, bent down and studied the seal. Tracing it delicately with his forefinger, he breathed, "Wow, I've never seen this simple, yet complex seal before. It's like they took an extremely complex array and squished it together into this tiny, compact form. I wonder how they did that...it would save so much space if we could find a way to do that to our practical seals back at home.."

"Do you know how long it took to get that on me?" Minato asked, eyes alight with humor. "Why don't you guess?"

Jiraiya quirked an eyebrow. "It couldn't have been that long, at most an hour to draw the seal? What are you getting at, gaki?"

Minato grinned wider. "Six hours."

"..."

Minato leaned in closer. "Didn't you hear me? Six hours. Well, to be exact, an entire morning to draw up the seals, then three hours to engrave it onto skin."

"What the hell?" Jiraiya exploded. "That's impossible! NO ONE has the chakra capacity to hold onto an engraving process for that long. It's usually just a flash of light and it's done!"

Minato grabbed his stomach and laughed. "HAHAHA! You should see your face sensei!"

Jiraiya calmed down and scowled. "I knew it, you're just pulling my leg."

"No I'm not. You can ask Naoki-san if you want. He's one of the people who was activating the seal."

"But how?" Jiraiya asked. "Even if multiple people worked on it at once, the one reason why sealing is not for everyone is because of the fact that it takes too much chakra! How can you hold it for three hours? Is there some kind of secret? Were you paying attention?"

"Well," Minato rubbed his neck. "To be honest, I really wasn't paying much attention near the end, but I do know that they don't use chakra to put this seal on me. It's Jinki."

"Jinki?"

"Uh-huh."

"That thing that powers all the specialized Uzumaki techniques?"

"Yup. All the members of the Uzumaki have this seal, to help train for the Uzumaki taijutsu (spirals) and to learn how to time their slashes with the pulses coming from beneath." Minato pointed to the ground, then at his feet. "That's why a lot of training is done without shoes, until you get very proficient at sensing Jinki."

Minato continued. "But other than that, Jinki is of no use to most clan members." Jiraiya looked confused, and he was just about to ask a question when Minato stopped him. "I'm getting there. Jinki is not exactly 'used' per se, like the way we use chakra. It's still in the ground. It's not like they're drawing it up to incorporate it into their attacks. The only people that actually 'use' it are the people who train in either one of the five special techniques, or the elders who apply the seal."

Minato pointed to his bare feet. "Techniques, like the Tenzantenken and the Rozuzanzei are based off from a pressure point in the center of the soles of your feet. Through that pressure point, you draw in Jinki from the ground and direct it to wherever. I don't know about the Tenzantenken, you'll have to ask Temjin, but for my technique, I need to pound it into all the pressure points in my legs and the spine. Unlike others that can perform their techniques with shoes after they get fairly good at it, we need to be barefooted all the time. Honestly, it gets annoying!"

"Doesn't that make your feet really dirty and disgusting?" Jiraiya made a face. "You have to what, scrub it clean every time you train? What a bother."

To that, Minato simply held up his foot, bottom up, and showed Jiraiya the underside. "Oi, gaki, I don't need to see your dirty...feet..."

"Is it dirty?" Minato innocently asked. "I thought it was rather clean."

Jiraiya's mouth hung open. There was just too many surprises in this place. "Your feet are so..."

"Clean? I know." Minato shook his foot. Surprisingly, his feet was squeaky clean. "and I've been standing here in the dirt all along."

" 'sigh.' Is this another little trick?"

"It's no trick, sensei. It's just that, in the process of training to draw the Jinki to the soles of your feet, the training slowly builds up a bit of a force field around your foot, so that dirt doesn't really cling. It's a side effect. I've only been training with this style for a few months, but it's already showing. It's the same for Temjin."

"What about the others?" Jiraiya rubbed his creasing forehead. "What is the use of Jinki to them?"

The blonde shrugged. "Pretty much the same. Except I think Kushina once said she channels her Jinki to a pressure point near the base of her spine. And so does Shinzou. And so does the current Master of the Ryuumaken. Apparently all the Yang based styles and all the Yin based styles focus on the same pressure points."

Jiraiya was getting pretty tired. All this information was new and hard to take in. It was amazing to the point of disturbing that a clan, not even technically shinobi, one that doesn't even live in the Ninja world, was so strong and full of powerful techniques. Normally he would have been wary of these people, but they were his sensei's trusted friends and his student's family.

It was hard to hate them anyway. They were such kind, happy, friendly people that loved to laugh. They obviously did stand for unnecessary violence and and were against doing anything immoral. They were polite, funny, and even interesting. Frankly, Jiraiya thought it was pretty cool that they have such great technology and could speak multiple languages. It was clear that they were smart people. Maybe that's why Minato clicked with them. They were all intelligent, like him.

Though he hated to admit it, Jiraiya had always been the idiot of his team. Of course, he was still shrewd, perceptive, and keen to detail, but Orochimaru's raw talent just outshadowed him in almost every possible way. "One more question. What is all that crap about Yang and Yin?"

"Yin and Yang, remember? Jinki is divided into Yin and Yang. Some fighting styles use Yin, some use Yang. Ask Naoki or Shinzou more about that stuff. I don't really know everything yet. You know, even if I'm training, my teacher still hasn't taught me anything yet." Rolling his eyes, Minato glanced at his watch. "Let's go eat breakfast, and then later we can go sightseeing? Kushina would love to show you around."

"Hmm. Sure. Hey, do you know anywhere with really hot ladies?" Jiraiya seemed really pumped up all of a sudden.

"All you have to do is turn on the tv." Minato replied. "By the way, don't try anything weird over in this country, because the United States have zero tolerance for sexual harassment. Prostitution is also outlawed. Don't get into trouble, please. For my sake."

The white haired sage just grumbled. "I wasn't going to do anything. You have far too little trust in me, you stupid blonde."

"I heard that!"

"Che, whatever. Anything else you wanna show me?"

Minato scratched his chin, then shrugged. "I guess not. Let's just go to my room. Come on."

* * *

Note: You know, I was pretty content with the amount of reviews I was getting. But not too long ago I read a fic whose author said: "Yo all! I was really disappointed with the lack of response to this fic so far. It was disheartening! I had over 250 hits on the 2nd chapter with 5 c2s and 8 favourites, and only a total of 6 reviews? I really need you guys to give me feedback otherwise I won't know whether you want me to continue or not!"

And you see, this is making me very depressed, because I have received way less than that and I am happy over it. It made me realize how %#! my fic was. I know I promised to finish this fic, but honestly, this is really "disheartening," like that other author said. To that author: please don't be offended that I used your words here. I only meant to emphasize how great your story is to be getting such great reviews.

Well anyway, I am starting to get a little uninterested in this story because of the lack of response. My other fic is way more popular, and I'm starting to think I should just focus on that one and leave this one on hiatus or something. But there are some very kind people who continue to encourage me with this fic, and so...I dunno. Thanks to all readers who keep writing me responses! You don't know how much your words have an impact on me.

-Hulk


	20. The Visit: Part 4

Disclaimer: Naruto doesn't belong to me. Actually, I forgot to mention this in my previous chapters (AND I'M EXTREMELY SORRY ABOUT THAT! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!) though the OC's belong to me I borrowed their Japanese names from Lord of the Land of Fire's OC's. But the characters themselves are mine. They just happen to have the same name. And their English names are also mine. All other characters from Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, not me.

**English**

Japanese

UPDATED: 7/23/10

* * *

Early Monday morning, Jiraiya woke around four despite the heavy hiking everyone had done the day before. Except for Miki, who had gone to meet some of her old friends.

Bradbury was surrounded by mountains, and the trees were numerous. People who lived there hiked all the time, apparently. Naoki had dragged his grumbling children out at six in the morning and had invited all the ninja to accompany them to the day long hike. Kushina and Shinzou were more than a little disappointed, as they had both wanted to take the ninja to an amusement park for "sightseeing," but their father cut them off by succinctly saying the beautiful view of the mountains were a good enough replacement. And less expensive too.

So they had all taken backpacks full of food and water and extra jackets and socks and set off for the nearest, highest mountain nearby, which, according to the season was speckled with snow the higher they got. When the got to the top, there had been a loose ball hanging precariously from a rope from a thick metal cable.

Naoki had grinned at this, and declared loudly, "Who wants to go first?"

No one did, obviously. The cable dropped nearly seventy degrees and looped up and down and from side to side in a mind blowing ride for over 300ft down to the bottom of the mountain. It was an easy way to get back down without walking for over ten hours. The snow made it difficult to climb up, and it was even harder to climb down, even though everyone had shinobi training.

The sun was starting to set when they were at the top, and when no one volunteered to go first for over twenty minutes, Naoki began to get a little impatient. He had said, "You guys do know that this is the only way down right? Unless you want to get back home by the time its time for you to go to school? Kushina? Temjin Minato? Or do you want to waste time and wait till it's dark and then take the ball? Because I assure you it won't be fun. You won't be able to see anything."

At that Minato had finally cracked. He stood up shakily and bravely chose to go first. The ball, hanging from a thin rope suspended over a hundred meters with sharp bits of trees underneath, and at least ten feet away from the edge of the ground, did not help to encourage anyone to jumping on top of it. Minato had to run and leap and hang on to the ball without any chakra, and if the rope gave out he wouldn't be able to use chakra to ensure his safety. But Naoki laughed it off and said it was perfectly safe.

Minato took a big leap of faith and jumped. He grabbed onto the rope for dear life as Naoki let the clutch go. Horrified, the Jounin coudn't stop his screaming as the ball picked up speed, his eyes widening in fear as the ball turned around in midair, effectively turning his body to face his friends/family as he started to fall the seventy degree slant. Backwards.

Everyone could hear him screaming for at least five minutes. Then the next ball came and Temjin went, then Kushina, then Rin, then Obito, then Kakashi, then Shinzou, then Jiraiya, then Naoki.

Overall, it had been a pretty rough, indescribable ride.

Jiraiya sat on the couch as he mulled over the recent thoughts, from everything that had happened to everything that would happen. As the clock neared five, he heard a bang as the door upstairs crashed open and one long haired redhead stumbled out.

Pulling on her socks as she dangerously hopped down the stairs with one foot, (please don't try that at home) she didn't even bother to greet him as she ran into the kitchen. From what he could hear she was sabotaging the fridge for food. Unsure of what to make of this, he jumped from his seat as another bang followed the first one, and this time, his student burst from his room fully dressed and tore down the stairs and rushed into the kitchen, joining Kushina in her attempts to get some breakfast.

He quirked his eyebrows and turned his gaze back to the ceiling/upstairs, a little annoyed that Minato hadn't bothered to greet him either.

Another bang, this time much softer, ensued as Jiraiya just managed to return to his thoughts. Temjin, a boy he had deemed to be quiet and composed and polite, practically jumped down the stairs three at a time as he ran to the kitchen, grabbing for whatever bits of food left after Minato and Kushina ransacked the fridge.

Hearing all the ruckus, team seven peered out from their rooms, dressed in their pajamas, wondering what was going on. After their hasty breakfast, the three teens ran back up, rushed to their respective rooms, then slammed the doors shut. With his keen hearing, he could barely make out the sounds of water in their restrooms. Soon after he heard a howl. "CAN'T YOU FREAKIN LITTLE HIGH SCHOOLERS BE QUIET IN THE MORNING?" Shinzou, looking like a lion who had his whiskers unsuspectingly ripped out during nap, burst from his door and strode down the stairs, gulping down a big glass of water before charging back up the stairs. "AND I WILL NOT TAKE YOU TO SCHOOL IF YOU CAN'T GET THE CONCEPT OF PEACE AND QUIET!" He slammed his own door after himself.

"He should follow his own advice," Obito joked.

Kakashi just looked scathingly at his teammate. In his opinion, Obito didn't have much to say about the situation either, since he wasn't the quietest of all ninjas. And regardless of Shinzou's other quirks and faults, the silver haired ninja greatly respected the elder redhead. He was a clan heir and seemed very strong. He was smart and didn't say unnecessary things. And Kakashi also remembered when he snuck around to see their rooms and saw Shinzou's sword. It was easily one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen. He also saw all the trophies and awards and medals he had, and all the pictures of him on the wall. It had been amazing, to say the least. Temjin and Kushina both had lots of accomplishments, but so far Kakashi didn't like the long haired girl too much and he never got to know Temjin, as he doesn't talk much. He liked Temjin because of that, but it also didn't let him know the guy very well.

He watched as the three teenagers ran down the stairs again, this time with their backpacks slung over their shoulders, with instruments in their hands, and pulling on a sweater at the same time. At the bottom of the stairs they twirled around and yelled all at the same time: "WE'RE GONNA BE LATE FOR TRACK PRACTICE!" Shinzou burst out of his room after that, pulling on his sweater and mumbling softly under his breath as he fetched his keys while the others put on their shoes. Waving goodbye, Minato, Kushina, Temjin, and Shinzou were gone.

"Well, that was sure fast. Are they going to school?" Rin asked.

To their surprise, they just realized what they had missed-they all mentally kicked themselves for not asking to go with them. They really wanted to see their school.

Miki sleepily appeared from her bedroom. "My, they sure are loud, even if they try to keep it down. They always end up yelling at each other," she smiled benignly at the startled ninja. "Why don't you all go back to sleep? Breakfast will be at seven."

* * *

Minato ran and ran until he couldn't feel anything else but his legs. The morning air was biting and cold, but now, he was so warm he couldn't help but throw his sweater over his head. He was in his shorts and running shoes. From far away he could see Kushina running on the tracks. He smiled, seeing her run like that made him want to sneak up behind her and hug her.

It was almost seven, which meant classes started soon. He excused himself with the coach and walked over to the locker room, hoping to get a quick shower before class.

Rinsing his yellow hair out in the lukewarm water, he dressed quickly into his jeans and t-shirt and sweater, and took his backpack and walked over to his zero period class. The last week before winter break officially begun.

He greeted his classmates and friends as he slid into the seat near Kushina. She gave him a beautiful, glowing smile, and he smiled back, unable to help himself. From behind him he could sense Johnny and Lyndon giggling and pointing to them. The blonde rolled his eyes. When would they grow up? He wondered how Johnny and Lyndon would fare if they were thrown into the shinobi world.

Just the thought made him chuckle.

* * *

From three hundred miles away, a young, intelligent looking girl with a slender frame and silky black hair with the most dazzling, dark grayish silver eyes hugged her parents goodbye as she walked towards the airport check in's with a backpack and medium sized suitcase. Her 'slightly longer than shoulder length' hair bounced in time with her bounce in steps as she grinned happily at the prospect of meeting her boyfriend, after so long. Maintaining a long distance relationship was annoying and difficult at best, but she loved him dearly, and he loved her, even if their methods of showing their affection for one another was a bit rough and unexplored. Mostly they were too conscious of outside attention. But it worked out for the most part.

It was a great thing their universities were closer to each other than their homes. While she lived on the east coast, her boyfriend lived on the west. Although their intensive studies hardly left any time to meet and hang out, they both had mutual understanding of the other's situation and got by fine through frequent phone calls and text messages. They had been together for too long, which was one of the reasons why distance was never a catalyst for a break up. They cared for each other too much.

She paused mid thought and handed her ID and ticket to the deputy at the desk. Smiling, the middle-aged man looked through her papers, then finding no fault with them, stamped them through. He kindly handed them back to her and said, **"I'm not supposed to be talking to you about such matters, but you literally glow with happiness. It makes me happy too."**

Flushing, she replied back to the kind man. **"Thank you."**

He nodded, his balding head glinting. **"You remind me of my wife when we were dating long time ago. Are you going to see your lover?"**

She nodded, gathering up her stuff. She politely nodded to the man, who waved back, and set off for her gate.

While she was waiting, she pulled out one of her textbooks and tried to concentrate on the tiny black font. But she couldn't. Her hands were shaking with anticipation. In less than six hours, she would be seeing _him._ She briefly considered taking out her cell and telling him about her arrival, but decided against it. She already notified the house that she would be arriving, but asked them to keep a secret. At least until right before she would be there.

Looking up at the digital clock on the wall, she registered that over there, it was around 7 in the morning. Would he be up yet? She grinned.

* * *

Naoki, Miki, Jiraiya, Shinzou, and team 7 all sat around the kitchen table for breakfast. Clean and refreshed, everyone enjoyed the crisp, clean smell of the morning and the sprucy smell of the trees. Miki had the foresight to open the kitchen door slightly, letting in the sun and the fresh air. The sunlight came through the glass doors anyway. Most of the time, winter mornings were foggy and rainy, but today was a rare sight.

Pouring everyone freshly squeezed orange juice and passing the toast and tomatoes around the table, Miki glanced up to meet her husband's eyes. He caught her gaze and discreetly flickered down, to let her know of his consent. No one at the table caught their exchange.

Jiraiya spoke. "It's not very cold here."

Naoki shook his head. "It's southern California. We normally don't get very cold. We don't have snow either—it's just in the mountains where the altitude is high."

"I like it here. Not too cold, not too frozen! It's perfect." Obito happily munched on his toast.

Miki laughed. "Many people agree with you. It's the reason why this area is such a coveted place to live in."

Rin wholeheartedly agreed with that. "No fighting, no killing...just learning and studying at our age..." it sounded too good to be true. Though she lived in peacetime, she and the rest of team seven were born during the second great ninja war, and she could remember the horrible times she lived through during her toddler years. It frightened her that there was talk about another war breaking out...but she really didn't want that to happen. It wouldn't, right?

Suddenly rid of her appetite, she stared morosely at the piece of toast in her hand. Things were still tense near the border to the north, where the country of Earth and Lightning was located. Little skirmishes, here and there, but things were relatively all right. Or at least she hoped.

She felt a pair of eyes on her, and saw Jiraiya looking down at her with a forlorn expression in his eyes. He didn't like fighting either. He was a ninja, and he did his duty, but compared to the quality of life here, the life everyone else led back at home seemed almost meaningless. _No it isn't. _He mentally slapped himself. _Ninja have their own purpose in the world. And this world isn't our world. _It was dangerous to start doubting your choice in becoming a shinobi. It could get you killed or traumatized.

Kakashi didn't make much of what Rin said, except thinking that she was an idiot. _Fighting is the whole reason for our existence, _he thought. _What's the point of sitting in a room all day and studying? _Bitter, he shoved the rest of his toast into his mouth, downing it with some orange juice—because no matter what reasons he gave himself, he couldn't help but think that if it weren't for the ninja system, his father...wouldn't have had to die. But he wasn't ever going to think about that. Ever again.

Obito just gloomily picked at his breakfast now that the topic came up. He didn't ever want to kill anyone. He didn't like fighting in the first place. It scared him and he hated that tears came out whenever he was in a particularly scary situation. He hated that his clan always pushed him to do better and better. Even though he wasn't necessarily talentless, having graduated much earlier than his peers and already on a Genin team, because of the fact that the prodigy, Hatake Kakashi was on his team the clan elders constantly poked at his ego. Now he wished Minato-sensei was here.

Sensing the downtrodden mood, Miki hastily brought up another subject. "So, Shinzou, what are you planning to do with your vacation? How's second year of college coming up? Easy as the first?"

Shinzou swallowed his toast. "It was never easy Mom. I have to study my brains out. So I guess I'll be studying all throughout winter. And planning your party of course."

Miki flushed with pleasure. "I suppose it does take a lot of time and work to double major in a prestigious school like _Harvard_." She said the name almost reverently. Practically everyone could see the pride in her eyes as she fondly poured her son more juice. "Keep up the good work."

Naoki grinned. "Keep it up. Your mother and I are behind you whatever path you choose to take."

The eldest son nodded, naturally knowing the support his parents will give him. However, he still felt a bit guilty for not continuing with his father's architecture firm. He was going to computers and technology, not buildings. Inwardly he grimaced at the image of straightforward, telling his father that he didn't want that part of his inheritance. Oh, his parents knew, even if he didn't say much yet. His schoolwork showed all. But they liked to not voice anything, for now.

Vaguely interested, the ninja paid attention as Shinzou gave a recollection of what he was learning in college, and how stupid the G.E.'s were, and how he just wanted to focus on what he wanted to do. He talked about how loud his roommate snored, and how the mathematics professor kept on assigning them _essays,_ and how couple of his buddies roped him into helping out with their projects for another class, even though he has no time.

Laughing at his son's stories, Naoki reached for his juice and drained it. Then, calmly, startling his unsuspecting son, "Shinzou, how's your relationship with Kimiko?" he reached for another piece of toast, inwardly smiling as he saw, through his peripheral vision, the ninjas perk up.

Shinzou dropped his toast, his mouth gaping. "What?" he choked out.

Miki subtly shared another glance with Naoki. "We asked about your relationship with Kimiko, my dear."

"Who's Kimiko?" Obito piped up.

Naoki smiled at the young boy. "That would be Shinzou's-"

"aaaaHHHHh, it's nothing. NOTHING at all. Hahahaha-er- I think I'm full Mom. Thanks for the breakfast!" Shinzou jumped from his seat and ran up the stairs to his room.

Miki and Naoki shared another look, this time not so discreet. "Ah, why is my son so- so-"

"Embarrassed?" her husband supplied helpfully.

"Spineless!" Miki shuddered. "He's so smart and brave and wonderful in all other areas but when it comes to this he just-"

"Runs away?" Naoki looked like he was having fun.

"Stop interrupting me." Miki nearly snapped.

The ninja tried to hold in their giggles as the married couple started talking about how cute Kimiko and Shinzou were together ever since they first met when they were thirteen, and how Shinzou did this, and she did that, and bow wow, boo yah, and everything was sweet and lovely and perfect.

"But are they still together?" Miki wondered out loud.

"I think they are. You know how he is. He's not the type to break up with anyone. Once he started dating, it was done. He dated the person he knew was right for him, and stuck with it, despite his young, rebellious hormone ruled teenager state back then." he looked back at the table and saw blank faces. "Oh, I'm sorry. Kimiko is a very distant relative in the Uzumaki clan. She lives in Massachusetts, in the east coast. She's like, what, 34th cousin, 51 times removed? Her mother isn't Uzumaki, nor her grandmother, nor her grandmother's grandfather. Somewhere along the way they married into a male Uzumaki. We try to discourage inner clan marriages, but at the same time, it's a delicate situation, with us having our secrets and all."

The ninja understood. Especially in this world where shinobi did not exist, to marry someone out of the clan would be extremely complicated. Not only would you have to trust the person enough to share the secret, but you also had to trust that he/she wouldn't take it the wrong way and think they are lunatics. Or they might not want to be part of something as complex as this, and leave their lovers.

"Is it bothersome to explain this to us?" Jiraiya asked, but inside, he sorely wanted to know. Young romance! Such a lovely aspect of life. He wanted to know, he wanted to know! But he kept his wants strictly inside.

Miki and Naoki laughed and waved their hand. "No, no, it's fine to ask. Actually, we want to talk about them more and more, so that Shinzou would loosen up a bit more! What would you like to know?"

The ninja let loose giggles as they spied the gleam in the couple's eyes.

* * *

School was nearly over. Minato sat with his friends in the health room as they watched a video on drunk driving. It was rather gory. He sure didn't want to be subjected to 'that' kind of a death. Kushina looked ashen at the sight of smooshed up brains spilling out from the driver's cracked skull. Under the desk, Minato found her hand and squeezed it. He didn't know if he was ever going to drive, and it sounded fun, but he sure didn't want to drunk drive.

When the video was over, and the bell rang, the classroom fell hushed with muttered whispers of the contents of what they just saw. "**I can't believe they let something like that be part of the school curriculum."** said Johnny. He looked like he was going to throw up.

"**We're pretty much at the top of the levels now. They're not going to treat us like kids anymore."** Anthony packed his pencils away. **"This is what I like about high school."**

"**You liked that video?"** Kushina sounded flat.

"**Not really. What gave you that impression?"** Anthony shrugged.

"**..." **Kushina just picked up her backpack. Tugging on their linked hands, she said bye and walked out.

"**You okay?"** Minato asked tenderly, brushing some of her hair back.

"**I'm fine. Let's just go to practice." **she squeezed his hand back.

"**Cassie? We don't have practice today remember? Coach has to go somewhere, so that's why we were here in the morning." **Kenneth furrowed his brow. **"Did that video disturb you all that much?"**

"**No!" **Cassie looked affronted. She dropped her voice to Japanese, so that people wouldn't catch on. "I just don't want you thinking I'm weak sauce just because I don't like that kind of meaningless deaths. I know you're a ninja and I know you've seen stuff like that up real and close, so you must be fine."

"Not really. It affected me too." Minato stared, feeling a bit shaken that Kushina would think he was so jaded that he was fine with something like dying. "I'm not that violent, Kushina. Nor am I emotionless and unfeeling at deaths of others, either friends or foe."

She turned, with a horrified expression in her eyes. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to sound that way. Of course you feel bad. I'm so sorry."

"It's alright. No big deal." he gave her a quick hug. "Let's go find Temjin and see if he has anything to do here. I kinda want to go home early today."

"Yeah, me too." Kushina and Minato turned to see Temjin walking toward them. He waved. "I want to go home. Let's see if Shinzou can pick us up."

Minato pulled out his cell and called Shinzou. A voice whispered, **"Hello?"**

"**Hey, can you pick us up?"**

"**..um, I'll try. Hold on." **And he hung up.

Minato raised a brow. **"What's up with him?"**

"**Why?" **the redheads wanted to know.

"**He was whispering. And he just hung up on me." **

**

* * *

**

Kimiko hummed as she walked out of the airport after checking in. Tugging on her blouse, she walked to the nearest restroom and freshened up. She hardly wore any makeup except at parties or formal gatherings, but for this, she pulled out a small tube of lip gloss and coated her lips. Orange flavor.

Straightening her hair, she hummed and walked outside to catch a bus.

It was nearly four. Then maybe, little Kushina and Temjin will be home?

Miki was enjoying a cup of soothing tea with her Japanese company as she heard her son pull up with the car, the rest of her children spilling out. "Welcome back!" she called, setting down her cup.

"Sensei! You're hoome!" Obito ran into Minato as the blonde walked in. "We were training today! In the basement! Jiraiya-sama was helping us!"

Minato looked up gratefully at his mentor. The white haired sage just grinned at the sight of Kushina's hand entwined with the blonde's. "Don't you two look sweet."

"Oh goodness, give it a rest." Minato rolled his eyes playfully. "If you're jealous you should have brought Tsunade-san with you."

"She's off on an extended vacation." Jiraiya gruffly said. "...with Dan." He scowled.

"Who's Dan?" Kushina asked.

"Tsunade's lover. Jiraiya's eternal rival in love." Minato whispered into her ear. She 'oh'ed.

"Go freshen up. Do your homework down here. Mingle!" Miki chattered as she ran to the kitchen. "I'll make some more tea!"

Finding the suggestion to their liking, the teens all went and changed into comfortable clothes. Then they came back down and snacked and drank tea as they did their homework.

"You must be happy Shinzou." Kushina piped up.

"Why?" Shinzou frowned.

"Why not? The love of your life is coming to see you!" Kushina and Temjin, in synch, made swooning motions.

Shinzou turned the brightest red anyone had ever seen. "WHAT? Don't mess with me! Kimiko's on the other side of the country right now!"

"Huh?" Kushina and Temjin looked at each other. "But we heard Mom and Dad talking about it in their room. They said Kimiko would be coming to stay over for her winter vacation. She just got out."

"Who's Kimiko?" Minato asked.

Everyone ignored him. "What? How come no one told me? When? When is she coming?" Shinzou frantically looked at the clock.

Temjin followed his gaze to the clock. "Uh, in like, probably 10-30 minutes, depending on the traffic."

"WHAT?"

"Who's Kimiko?" Minato asked again.

"Mom didn't tell you? Oh, then she probably wanted to keep it as a surprise!" Kushina gasped. "I shouldn't have babbled about this!"

"It's alright," Temjin assured her. "The look on his face is priceless."

"Who's Kimiko?" Minato asked again, getting impatient.

"Didn't you hear? She's Shinzou's girlfr-"

_Ding Dong_

"Huh?" Temjin got up. "So early? Maybe her plane got her before schedule." He moved to open the door, while Kushina giddily got up and followed after him. Shinzou sat petrified, unable to move.

Jiraiya prodded him with a finger. "Hey, you okay?"

"Oooh, I missed her so much! She's one of the nicest, smartest people on Earth! Shinzou doesn't deserve her, seriously." Kushina said, flipping open a blindfold. "Oh goodness, it is her!"

Temjin opened the door. He smiled warmly at the figure standing before him. "I missed you Kimiko nee-san."

"Temjin! You're so tall!" A dark haired, slender woman launched herself into the lanky teenager's arms. Kushina squealed and joined the two in their hug. "I missed you so much Kimiko nee-chan!"

"I missed you two Kushina! You two are so much taller now!" The woman turned halfway to fully hug Kushina.

Red and black clashing as they hugged, the ninja plus Minato shifted to try and get a look at the woman's face.

"Is that my Kimiko-chan?" Miki called as she came from the kitchen. "Oh my, come in come in!"

Shinzou gulped. "Kimiko?" He slowly stood up, everyone else getting up too. "Is that you?"

The dark haired girl untangled herself from the others, and as Shinzou (along with Minato and ninja) waited with baited breath, she turned, revealing her shining eyes and flawless skin all other Uzumaki possessed, with rosy, perfect lips and neat dark lashes.

For some reason both of them seemed perturbed to public displays to affection as neither made a move toward each other. She smiled softly at Shinzou's shocked face.

"Hello Shinzou."

* * *

I'M SORRY EVERYONE! I had this really weird case of writer's block. I had the plot set out, but then I just couldn't type it! I would type two pages then erase it all and start over because it wasn't like what I wanted it to be.

In my defense, I was busy with summer school. I'm done now, so I have more time, but I still have summer hw.

Well, to be honest I wasted a week debating whether or not I should update my other story, **Precious Ones** first, (Yes I know, this is a ridiculously long time to debate things over) but then I decided it would be unfair, since I skipped updating this story last time too.

AND it didn't help that I was coming up with new inspirations for new stories! I didn't start writing new fics, but I did take some time to type all the ideas down, so I wouldn't lose it later on. And any idea I have tends to grow over time, so I wanted to keep the original somewhere safe. (Sounds like INCEPTION, doesn't it? That movie was awesome, but it was soo...deep. For my friend and I, who are mere teenagers, the movie was very complicated. We watched ECLIPSE after that, and even though it was cliche it was refreshing because it was easier on our mental level of maturity).

I recently got addicted to PePeRo, which is a version of Pocky. It's Korean. I love it better than Pocky. I somehow think Pocky taste artificial. Sorry, I'm getting off topic.

OH! And I somehow was led into watching 'Code Geass' when I was browsing on Youtube. IT WAS SO FREAKIN LAME! But I'm still watching it.

People, I love you, whoever you are, whatever gender you might be, whatever habits and faults and quirks you might have. I just wanted you guys to know that I love you all for just even reading my stuff. It's really humbling.

Thank you, and I love you guys.

-Hulk


	21. The Visit: Part 5

Disclaimer: The same as usual. Naruto doesn't belong to me.

UPDATED: 8/12/10

* * *

Time stopped as Shinzou gazed into her eyes. Faintly in the background he could hear people talking, but he didn't pay much mind to it. He wanted to walk up and hold her, kiss her, and tell her that he loved her, but didn't move.

She didn't move either.

And both were thankful for it.

They weren't the kind of people who expressed themselves well in a crowd. No, he would wait. Wait until all this was over.

Kimiko, or Jennifer, smiled at everyone who was surrounding her. "Hello everyone. Nice to be back."

She had hugged everyone individually and laughed and joked and teased. Everyone except for him. He felt rejected at that, but it was okay. He would wait, till all this was over.

"Kimiko! I am so sorry, but all the guest rooms are taken for the time being, so where would you like to sleep?" Miki asked, twisting her fingers together at this unforgivable flaw she overlooked while hosting her guests.

"She can bunk down with me!" Kushina punched a fist through the air, looking quite adorable as a fourteen year old can get. "Or does Shinzou want to share a room with her instead?" She ended in a sly wink. Ok, he takes that back. She is not adorable, at all.

Miki and Naoki, who had both skipped work that day to witness their son's reaction to his girlfriend smirked inwardly. "You know what? Kushina, that's a wonderful idea. It's not like they're not adults or anything. Do you mind Kimiko-chan?" Miki watched her son through the corner of her eyes as she spoke. He flinched, barely, but it was there. Kimiko had no outward reaction, but that was expected of the girl. She always kept her facial expressions schooled, and kept her emotions in check. At least in public.

Inside she was blushing profusely, and she wanted to refuse, but Kimiko found that Naoki and Miki were both staring at her with wide, persuasive eyes that begged for her to accept, and to be polite (as she was only a guest after all) she smiled and said, "Yes. I would like that. As long as Shinzou agrees."

Shinzou snapped to attention. "Huh? Oh—okay. That's fine..." he trailed off, his mind wandering. He was still standing in the same spot from where he got up from the sofa.

Off to the side, Miki and Naoki both cheered silently after their little success. They knew the two young adults wouldn't do anything. They were far too serious with their relationship to ever mangle it out that way.

"Well, come on then...let's get you settled..." Shinzou turned and walked up the stairs, feeling quite out of his mind. _Kimiko, Kimiko, Kimiko... _Too surreal, he told himself. Then, finally aware of the fact that Kimiko was trudging after him with her suitcase, he turned and took the heavy thing from her hands, lifting it easily with one arm and continuing easily up to the second floor.

Nine pairs of eyes silently watched them with glee as the couple disappeared through the door.

Once in the room, he didn't turn around until he heard the sound of the door clicking shut softly. Kimiko stood there in front of the door, gazing at him with her silvery Uzumaki eyes, her dark black hair glinting as she basked in the orange-gold hue of the afternoon light that fell on her slender form.

Away from prying eyes, he felt happiness and confidence surging through his veins once again, and a slow smile crept onto his face. A faint dusting of pink colored the girl's cheeks as he carefully walked forward, slid his arm around her slim waist and neck, and kissed her with all the longing, endearment, and affection he contained within since the last time he saw her.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"OH MY GOD, did you see the way he was looking at her?" Kushina and Miki squealed in delight. Naoki just bellowed with laughter. Kakashi rolled his eyes, but Obito and Rin seemed dazzled at the subtle, but definite display of love the Uzumaki heir demonstrated while moving up the stairs. Obito sneaked a peek at Rin, before turning red and choosing to look at Kakashi instead. It didn't escape Minato, however, who grinned wildly at his student's embarrassment.

Jiraiya, on the other hand, felt the sudden urge to whip out a notebook and take notes. Just how had the young man snagged such a beauty and managed to hold onto her for so long? In his entire life, he had never truly found a keeper, no matter how sexy they looked or how much they physically met his tastes. If only he had such luck with Tsunade, then he would have married her by now. But Dan... why did she have to fall for him? It wasn't as if Dan was there while Tsunade was still coping with her brother's loss during the second great war. HE was. He had been there for Tsunade since the first time they met as Genin. It was jealousy, bitterness, envy, love, and sadness pooling all over at once, while still genuinely wishing for his teammate to be happy. Jiraiya sighed. He should let go of her. At least his student hadn't inherited his bad luck with women.

Kushina stopped fantasizing about her brother and hopefully will-be-sister and patted Minato's arm. "Come on. Let's finish homework upstairs instead. Too many people...I'll help with your essay."

Minato nodded. He could definitely use her help. Finals were approaching, and they were always on the corner of his mind, dragging it down into the depth of pessimism and depression. He wasn't so sure how well he would do. His English was still slightly shaky, his essays were barely mediocre- he managing to scrape a B on his essays only thanks to Kushina and Temjin's incessant proof-reading and editing. Speech had helped out on his speaking and fluency a lot, but his critical reading skills could be better.

Math and science was fine, he could keep up with the curriculum well enough. It was just the question of remembering the scientific vocabulary. Things were strangely harder and more difficult to memorize when they were in a different language.

Gathering up their things, the politely excused themselves and made way for the office next to Kushina's room. Getting through finals was top on his list, then training with his team, then spending some time with Kushina (alone), then planning for the party. He felt a little guilty for that one. It was Miki's birthday, and it felt wrong to put other things before her. It was no joke that the gratitude and respect and maybe even familial love that he felt for the older woman was immense. He wanted to do everything possible in his power to make this party the best she'd ever had, then prove her wrong every year.

But actually planning the party would have to wait, until school was over. And that was another four days. Thank goodness the finals didn't come around till winter break was over. That just meant his vacation would be filled with lots of procrastinating. _Fun fun!_

_

* * *

_

4 days later...

Bright and early Saturday morning, about 40 Uzumaki teens were gathered in the backyard of Kushina's house. Miki was gently coerced into sleeping late by Naoki, and Jiraiya and the rest of the students came out and spectated.

Shinzou stood in the center and loudly clapped his hands. "Alright! Listen up! We're going to split into three groups! Team Decorations, Team Potluck, and Team Planners and Technicians! About five of you will stick with me, because we're going to be doing errands and check listing. Those skilled in painting and the likes, go with Kushina, cooks, chefs, go with Minato, and techies go with Temjin! Got it? The group split, many going to decorations and potluck. Shinzou peered over at the group and pointed. "You, you, you, and you, come with me. That'll make the groups more even."

Shinzou turned and glared authoritatively at everyone who gathered. "Alright, now that's taken care of...GET MOVING!"

"Team Decorations, come with me to the ballroom. We have lots of painting to do!" Kushina pumped her hand in the air and motioned for everyone to follow.

Minato turned to his team. "Team Potluck, we head for the kitchens in the ballroom. I'm not that great at making conventional food, but I think I'm decent in the pastry section, so lets all help each other out, okay?" He smiled, and everyone in his team smiled and followed him to the kitchens.

Temjin just motioned with his hand. "Come. We need to print out the schedule, the checklist, get the shades and the lights and the special effects ready, and we have to set up the stereo sets. Can you all break up into groups that are good at typing and good with the overhead projector and stuff like that?"

Shinzou nodded, his approval clear in his eyes.

He was normally against waking up at six in the morning while during a freezing winter break. But instead of being cranky, he was literally glowing. He had been extremely content these last few days. Because every time he opened his eyes in bed, _her_ face was right in front of his, and that was all he needed to make his day. It also helped that no one at home made any snide remarks.

He smirked at that. "Okay. We are going to call ourselves the overseers. We are going to team up with Temjin's team first, so we can clear out the schedule and the checklists and all that." Gesturing his team over, he walked inside after Temjin.

From the sidelines, Jiraiya watched, hands crossed across his chest, impressed. The authority and directive present in the crowd and how easily they moved in sync showed how united and trusting they were, and how they accepted the four as their leaders without question. He was once again surprised and delighted to see that Minato's leadership skills were improving. Clearly not all the teenagers were happy to be under his lead. However, Minato had somehow managed to talk them into working with him, smiling and reaching out a hand. It was certainly those kinds of personality traits that would prove to be his most effective asset later as a man.

It was something Jiraiya vindictively lacked, to say the truth. He earned his respect, title, fame and honor through battle. And while success in battle wasn't necessarily a bad thing, given the life of a shinobi, it was imperative that such methods of gaining supporters would only lead to more distress and more war in the world.

And that's why he instinctively knew he would never be a great Hokage. He could become one, sure, and he would be respected. He might even be a good leader. But what was definite was that he would never be a "great" leader. A great leader was someone who distinguished followers and supporters and leaders through simple exchanges alone, and who made excellent use of their individual talents while not neglecting their inner emotions and demons.

A person who thought that glory in battle and glory in the results was all that mattered should never be Hokage. He or she would kill the village. A true leader takes pride in the _process_ of getting to the goal, how everyone's strengths combined into a larger force.

_And that's why, Orochimaru should never be Hokage. _

...

..._  
_

"Can we go see what Kushina-san is doing?" Rin asked, rubbing her hands together. There was just something about the weather here that took the chill straight to the bones. It didn't snow, not much at least, just a patch of white here and there higher up in the mountains. So why was she so cold?

Kakashi surreptitiously glanced at her trembling hands. His father had always told him to not let girls ever get cold...

On the other side of Rin, Obito not so secretly peered over at her hands. He blushed at the mere idea of holding Rin's hand. It didn't seem right anyway...not when she liked Kakashi. "Sure. Let's go. Come on Kakashi."

"I want to watch sensei instead." The silver haired boy mumbled.

Rin shook her head. "But we'll just get in their way. And cooking takes a lot of preparation. They're probably washing things right now. That's no fun to watch. Let's see how Kushina nee-san and the others are going to set up the party room."

"Fine." Kakashi and Obito agreed and followed the disappearing figures of Team Potluck to the ballroom. Not wanting to be alone, Jiraiya began to follow after them, but Naoki, who just came out after successfully putting Miki back to bed called to him.

"Jiraiya-san, will you play a game of go with me? I think I may be able to challenge you." He grinned.

Jiraiya turned towards the smiling man and smirked. "That would be nice. I have a question though. How old are you?"

Naoki furrowed his brows in thought. "Mmm, I am turning 47 in a few months. Why?"

Jiraiya frowned. He was 27, and twenty years younger than the other man. Yet, why did the Uzumaki clan head look so young? "You're awfully young looking."

Naoki laughed at that. "Why thank you. What brought this on? I only asked you to a game of go,"

"I noticed how you don't have any wrinkles. Even when you smile." Jiraiya walked over to the door and kicked his shoes off. "Is there some sort of trick?"

Naoki just laughed harder. "Are you worried about your youth already? I think you don't need to worry for at least another ten years."

Jiraiya shook his head. "It doesn't have to do with me. It has to do with my friend. She would probably kill to know your secret. If there is one."

Naoki ushered him inside, where the air was warm and handed him a cup of tea. "It's not exactly a secret. It's more like a clan trait. What do you know about our customs so far?"

"You use Jinki. You love music. Your family is united and close to each other. More so than many clans I've ever seen."

Naoki nodded, taking a sip of his own tea, and sat down on the kitchen chair, pulling out a go board and the round pieces on the tabletop. "Tell me, what is Jinki?"

"Energy of the world that flows through the ground."

"That's right. Although fundamentally different from natural energy, Jinki comes from nature, the ground beneath our feet. It can also travel up living things, like trees and plants. But of course, the main source is from the ground itself."

"And?" Jiraiya took the black pieces and set them up. He made the first move.

"Think about it. If you continuously run nature's source of energy throughout your body, what sort of effect will it have on you in the long run?" Naoki made the second move.

The toad sennin's eyes widened in shocking revelation. No wonder! If a positive energy like Jinki kept on circulating the bodily system, then since they are not using chakra to live, lifespan will inevitably be lengthened, and will also filter out the bad things in their body!

Naoki just twitched in mirth, as Jiraiya made the third move. _He gets it. _"That is primarily the reason why the Uzumaki all sport flawless skin, and generally age at a much slower pace than ordinary people. We also live longer too."

"By how much?"

"Well, I'm in my late forties, but I don't have any wrinkles or spots yet. My joints aren't giving me any troubles either. In my own opinion, I think I look a little older than you do, but what do you think?"

Jiraiya bit his tongue. It was true. Naoki really did look like he was Jiraiya's age. Which amazed him _and_ pissed him off. "Does this mean Minato will also have the same benefits?"

"Of course. That, and he's one of the successors to a Jinki technique. He will be even younger looking by the time he's my age. Though, his master still has yet to teach him anything yet."

"But I thought you were a master too! So why would Minato look younger?"

"Certain Jinki techniques are different from others. For one, the Tenzantenken has a special book of forms set aside from the rest of the books because it doesn't focus on the swordsmanship at all. Rather, that book is filled with Jinki regulation techniques, how to channel Jinki so that the wielder's body ages even _more _slowly. That book is focused on ways to keep the body fit and healthy for a tremendous amount of time, which ties into longer, prevailing youth.

"Similarly, the Rozuzansei and the Zankenmaru styles focus on the fitness of the body and its ability to use Jinki effectively. They too, have some sort of special longevity scroll set aside. However, the Hijutsu and the Ryuumaken have no such special regulation techniques. We still look younger than normal Uzumaki, but we will age before we die. Contrarily the other three masters will probably won't even get wrinkles by the time their life runs out." Naoki made the next move.

Jiraiya paused before making his own move. "So, you're saying that the Uzumaki naturally live longer than normal human lifespan, and the masters live even longer, _and _all of them will look younger than most people at their age?"

"Yes. Miki looks pretty young, don't you think?" Naoki grinned. "Most masters marry other masters. Otherwise one side of the couple might feel that they are older looking that the other. But Miki and I has never had such controversies. She's five years younger than me by the way."

Jiraiya was intrigued. Part of him was still pissed off, but he was sincerely amazed. This clan was just filled with spectacular aspects. He secretly wondered how Tsunade would react if she ever heard about this. "Approximately how much longer do you live?"

"Regular Uzumaki live about ten to twenty years longer than normal humans," Naoki made a move. "Hijutsu and Ryuumaken masters live about twenty to forty years longer, and the other masters live about thirty to fifty years longer."

Jiraiya nearly choked on his tea. Minato was going to live thirty years longer than the normal lifespan. _And _he was going to look young. _Damn, that kid has some crazy luck, meeting a family like this! _

He made his next move, mind spinning with possibilities.

* * *

Meanwhile, Rin, Kakashi, and Obito were in awe as they watched the Decorations team unfurl huge pieces of sea-blue paper and connect them together, using ladders and tape rulers to make the giant piece of paper fit the walls and ceiling.

Large pots of acrylic and poster paint was already set out, and the group was brainstorming on things to paint. From the sounds of it, there was going to be sea turtles, coral, octopus, sea stars, and brightly colored fish. They also wanted to put in a mermaid. They each pulled out a fat pencil and began sketching on the papers, spreading out on the paper like human polka dots. Occasionally a redheaded teen would commend the drawing next to theirs, or help them out.

"Uwaahhh!" Rin gasped, utterly bewitched at the scenes that were being drawn out. "How artistic! This is amazing."

"Woah. And they're going to paint all that? That turtle over there looks really real!" Obito commented, flailing his arms about wildly, trying to emphasize his point to his stoic teammate. "Look Kakashi, isn't that really cool? I bet even you can't draw like that."

"Hmph." Kakashi just turned up his nose. "A ninja doesn't need to draw."

"Nu-uh!" Obito shook a finger. "What if you need to draw a map? Or draw a likeness of the enemy? You're an idiot."

"You're the idiot!" Kakashi retorted.

"Oh shush it you two," Rin objected. "Can't you just be quiet and let them focus on their work? Honestly, you two are always fighting."

Then, excited roars erupted from the kitchens.

"What was that?" Obito quirked an eyebrow. The Potluck team kept on wildly exclaiming unintelligible things while one by one, curious Decoration members perked up. "Wuzz going on?"

Then a teenager with lanky legs and short red hair (whose name is omitted due to insignificance) bounded out of the kitchen. "HEY GUYS! Look at this! Minato made this—isn't it great?" He held out his hand, in which sat a mouth-watering gold cupcake iced with a miniature castle on top, full of details.

Kushina got up, as did the rest of her team, and oohed and aahed. "How did he manage to make that 3D?"

"I have no idea. But dude, this is too good to eat."

"Then don't eat it. Go put it back on the tray." A voice ordered playfully behind the crowd. Minato stood, with a bemused expression, one hand on his hip, the other coated in fine white powder.

"Minato did you really make this?" Kushina asked, her eyes bright. "It's perfect!"

Minato laughed, running his clean hand through his hair. "Thanks. I guess I'm really in charge now, huh? You, go back to boiling the noodles."

"Yes sir." the gangly teen mock saluted and turned back to the kitchen.

"Where are you going?" Kushina called, as Minato headed out the ballroom doors.

"Oh, to look for more aprons. Wanna come?" He patted the white powder off his other hand.

Kushina quickly put her brush down and followed out the blonde teen. "Wait for me!" She ran to catch up with the blue eyed boy and caught him by his arm. "Gotcha! Running away?"

"Hardly." Minato smiled into her eyes. "You seem happy."

"Bah, I'm excited! It's mom's birthday!" She slapped his shoulder.

"In two days, yeah." Minato bit his tongue as he thought of his birthday present to his foster mother. Would she like it?

"Are you ignoring me now? You've been distant you know, I think I'm feeling hurt." Kushina pouted.

Minato grinned at that. He'd been busy trying to get the violin piece right, studying for the finals, finishing homework, and training his team. "Sorry about that."

"Kiss? I might forgive you."

"Haha, come here," he pulled and cupped her face with his hands, bending over to seal her lips with his.

He pulled back, but was wrenched forward when Kushina grasped his own blonde head in her two hands and growled out, "You called that a kiss? There's a difference between a kiss and a 'peck,' you moron." And she leaned forward and caught his lips in a much more passionate kiss, his mouth curving to a smile before he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer.

"Will you two stop making out in the middle of the street?" An annoyed voice came from behind. Shinzou stood, eyebrows twitching, his arms crossed and his fingers tapping his arm impatiently. "It's not good manners you know. Plus no one wants to ruin their eyes." The four guys behind him watched them, amused as Kushina and Minato broke their kiss.

Minato tried to step away, a little embarrassed, but Kushina scowled and wrapped her arms around his torso, leaning her head on his chest. "Just because _you_ don't have the guts to kiss Kimiko in the middle of the street doesn't mean you have to crash us doing so."

"Oohh!" the guys in Shinzou's team clapped. "ownage!"

"Shaddap!" Shinzou snapped. "Let's go." He walked past the entwined freshmen and strode angrily toward the ballroom.

"Now, where were we?" Kushina cooed, looking up to his face.

Minato, half baffled, half about to break out in incredulous laughter, grabbed her hand, led her behind a tree and kissed her. "It's not nice to block traffic" he breathed.

The pretty red haired girl in his arms just laughed. "Hurry up and kiss me again, so we can go get your aprons, blondie."

"Yes ma'am," he murmured before kissing her again.

Aprons were the farthest thing on his mind.

* * *

I REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO END THINGS THIS WAY... OOH I'M GONNA CRY.

DO YOU GUYS KNOW HOW HARD IT WAS TO TYPE THAT CHAPTER UP? But at least things are progressing. I know this chapter is four days late. My apologies.

Lately my friend has been bothering me about the state testing results. OH GOODNESS, that thing doesn't even go on our report card! WHY is she worrying about something like that?

People, do me a favor and review. I think there are too many gaps and lack of plot development (which will come by the way, I'm just moving slowly.) so help me out with some constructive criticism!

I wanted to give you guys a bit of Mina/Kushi fluff before ending the chapter. So that you won't be dissappointed :)

THANKS FOR READING!

-Hulk

p.s. The last five chapters of Naruto was heartbreaking. I was literally crying. I also imagined myself as MInato who became a shinigami (bleach) and who came back to the Shinobi world and found Madara and then gleefully sent him to hell as the gates of hell opened and he was screaming while being sent there in front of all the important Naruto characters...

Gruesome, I know. But Madara deserves it. HE is an evil person. I have never hated anything more intensely than I hated Madara.

REVIEW!


	22. Change of Plans

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

UPDATED: 12/22/10 (FINALLY! Almost one year anniversary guys:)

* * *

Sarutobi impassively stared at the clan heads and their wives/husbands, all dressed in their finest, standing before his desk. "I trust you are all ready?"

They all nodded, a bit grim. They still didn't trust this Uzumaki. Sarutobi just pulled out his dagger, cut his finger, and opened the gate, feeling the shocked gazes of the clan leaders behind him. He turned. "Come. If you are ready for the party, then we should go now."

Wary, the Hyuugas were the first to step through. The other clans followed.

"IS EVERYTHING READY?" Shinzou yelled. He peered at his checklist. "Food?"

"Check!" Minato called from somewhere in the ballroom.

"Lighting?"

"Check!" One of Temjin's teammates yelled.

"Sound?"

"Check." Temjin smiled. "All ready."

"Well, I can see the decorations are ready," Shinzou crossed out a few more lists. "The orchestra?"

"They're here."

"Seating?"

"Ready."

"Waiters?"

"Already chosen."

"Performances?"

"Orchestra, Minato and Kushina, the guys."

"The program?"

"Printed out and passed around."

"OKAY!" Shinzou checked the last box with a flourish. "We're up and ready guys! It's two hours before the party, and I know all of us, except for the waiters, are part of the orchestra! So now is the time to go get cleaned up and dressed in your ensemble."

With a rush, the teenagers ran past the heir and headed for their own respective homes. Minato and Kushina ran back to their house, desperate to get a shower.

When they tumbled into the front steps, they could hear Miki's excited voice, Naoki's deep, soothing ones just nearby. Kimiko stood in the living room, leaning against the sofa, arms crossed. "Finally you guys are here. Do you know how hard it was for Naoki-san and I to keep her contained?"

Minato grinned. "You had the hardest job. You should go get ready now. I bet Shinzou's waiting for you."

She blushed slightly. "I'll go get ready then."

Minato and Kushina dashed up the stairs after her and went to clean up. Taking a quick shower, they dressed in their dark blue suit and dress, their clothes for the orchestra.

"Why can't I go now?" Miki complained. Naoki patted her knee.

"You're the main attraction. We'll enter at the end. Besides, all the clan heads and wives are coming from the ninja world. You have smile."

"I know, I know," Miki grumbled. "It's so sweet of you all to plan a party for me. I so excited."

"Minato hurry up!" Kushina ran downstairs with her violin case in her hand. "We're going to be late! Maestro's gonna yell at us!"

"Coming!" Minato finished the tie at his neck and grabbed his case. Bolting down the stairs, the two said goodbye and ran out of the house. Naoki sighed and shook his head. Miki looked irritated that she had to stay.

Thankfully, Sarutobi chose that moment to enter the Modern world. Ripping out another opening in the rippling air, he stepped out onto the yard of the Uzumaki home. Uncoordinated, the clan heads stumbled out behind him. He hid his crack of a smile at their befuddled disorientation. The Uchiha and Hyuuga looked especially prissy that they lost face in front of all the other clan heads. "Now that we're here, let's go meet the Uzumaki clan head, shall we?"

No one answered him, too dazzled by the sights around them. The Akimichi, Yamanaka, and Nara were staring at the mansion, the Hyuuga and Uchiha were glancing at the garden all around them, and the Inuzuka were busy sniffing at the crisp smell of pine surrounding them. The other clan heads were amazed at the lights and the grand house. Sarutobi chuckled and led them to the backyard door leading to the kitchen, and knocked three times.

Naoki heard the knock and stood up with Miki. "They're here," he walked over to the kitchen to let them in, greeting them with a large smile. "Welcome to our home, dear shinobi-san. Nice to see you again so soon Sarutobi."

The Aburame clan head stiffly bowed. "Thank you for inviting us. Is this your wife?"

"Hello. I'm Uzumaki Miki, nice to meet you all. Thank you for coming!" Miki smiled and stepped up, taking the hand of one of the clan Matriarchs. "Now that you're all here we can finally go to the party, they've been cooping me up in here for ages!"

"Where's Jiraiya?" Sarutobi looked around. "Isn't he here? Where's Minato?"

"They're already at the party. Let's go, it's about to start." Naoki smiled courteously and led them out through the front, into the street. The tense ninja's forms relaxed slightly at their leader's easy going friendship with the Uzumaki clan head.

"So, how are you doing lately?" Naoki grinned. "Working hard with paperwork? I heard it's pretty tough."

"I suppose every job has its ups and downs," Sarutobi easily replied. "You, with your job as an architect, must have some boring and exciting components to it."

"Definitely." Naoki slung an arm around the shorter man's shoulders. "What really keeps me dedicated is not because it has more perks to it than other jobs, but because of the surge of passion I feel whenever I finish a new project."

"I wish I had half of your gratification," Sarutobi mournfully replied. "Lately I've been sending more and more ninja on ...certain missions that I'm not too proud of. Seeing the younger generation grow up makes me very happy, but at the same time, dread what is to come. Sometimes I wish I was born in this world, and not in Konoha."

The eavesdropping ninja clan heads, or at least those not too enthralled with Miki and her conversation, collectively gasped softly. Naoki smiled sadly at the Hokage. "Oh Sarutobi. Everything has its ups and downs. We just have to trust God to have given us the right talents and assets to survive in it. Perhaps your world is not as peaceful as it can be. But at the same time, our world is hardly peaceful either. Politics and overrated government policies, along with increased competition from fellow peers. Academic inflation causing young people to be stuck in a classroom for more than twelve years." Naoki chuckled bitterly. "As ironic as it seems, sometimes I wish I was born in your world, where things will boil down to simple fighting. Though I suppose it can hardly be considered simple."

"Yes," Sarutobi nodded in agreement. "Is that the ballroom?" He nodded over to the tall building looming just around the corner.

"Ah, so it is. We're here everyone." Naoki led the way, pushing open the doors and into a very brightly lit hallway to a double door. Pushing the door open wide, they came onto a setting with dark blue lights, small candles and dim colors everywhere, the intricacy making everyone smile.

The room was underwater.

Fish and seacreatures of all kinds dotted the walls. The round tables were decorated like waves and rocks undersea, and little candles added to the overall translucent effect. From the far other side, the Uzumaki Teen Orchestra was softly crooning a piece that filled the room with gentle welcome.

Jiraiya and Team 7 were already sitting at a table, along with several other guests. Many tables were already occupied, and several of the invitees stood up to shake hands with the newcomers. Crying out warm welcomes, the Uzumaki clan led the dazzled clan leaders to their seats.

"Oiii! Sensei! Over here!" Jiraiya waved his teacher over. Sitting down, Sarutobi smiled at his student and the young shinobi.

"I hope you all have been having a good time?" His eyes twinkled. "After all, you're having a _very_ long vacation."

"It's so strange here," Kakashi complained. "I want to train more with my ninja equipment, but seeing how I didn't bring any, I can't."

"It's still fun though," Rin added. "We don't need to worry about dangerous stuff as much, though cars are a little scary."

Sarutobi laughed at that. Yes, cars could be very scary sometimes. "Have you asked the Uzumaki for some training, Kakashi? They are very freespirited people, and are very generous with their techniques. If you asked them for some help in sword fighting, they'll be glad to teach you, I'm sure."

Kakashi scoffed. "If a ninja clan is so open with their techniques it must mean that they're weak. Who in their right mind would give away their secrets like that?"

"It's because no matter how hard a person tries to replicate their techniques, they'll never be able to do it completely," Sarutobi explained. "You can learn their style, but not the way they manipulate Jinki. You learned about that, yes?"

Kakashi nodded, a little sour.

Sarutobi smiled at him. "They're not really a ninja clan, Kakashi. Just enjoy the party while it lasts. Oh, is that Minato I see there?" He pointed to the orchestra. True enough, Minato was with the other musicians, playing softly.

Jiraiya released a breath. "Yeah, that's him. Kinda surprised me too. The kid's so different now, I feel like a stranger." Unlike his usual self, Jiraiya looked forlorn and tired, as if this visit had aged him a couple of years.

Sarutobi didn't reply. He knew Minato would have changed a lot for the better. But things were starting to look a little grim. He hated to do this, but he knew it was Minato's duty.

Noticing the look on his teacher's face, Jiraiya nudged him. "What's wrong? You look awfully downcast."

"Just a few things I'm worried about." Sarutobi took a swig from his glass of water. "There's no need to worry about it now."

Jiraiya got the message. He meant the information was classified and could not be discussed in front of the kids. Not that they'd really pick up on it anyway, with Obito and Rin talking loudly about whether or not they'd actually get to learn the Uzumaki-ryu kenjutsu. But Kakashi was too sharp for his own good, and the kid picked things up quick. Besides, with his exceptional senses that came from being dog summoners, it was too likely he would listen in. "I'm just waiting for the food."

"Hm, well. Is that Naoki on the stage?"

* * *

And the rest of the evening went by. The guests were in their rooms, either at Naoki's house or at Saishu's house. Miki cried when the large cake came out, made by Minato and the potluck team. Naoki, Shinzou, Temjin, and Minato sang a quartet, and the ninja guests hushed at the surprising skill. Good pitch and tone was not a common thing in the ninja world, especially when most of their lives were dedicated to fighting and missions, not art.

Kakashi was in the corner of the living room, freshened up and in his pajamas. He was obviously thinking, with his arms crossed and head bent low. Would..would they be willing to teach him to better wield the sword? He had aspirations of joining the ANBU, and they all used straight ninjatos, didn't they? And he had that heirloom of his, and he admitted he wasn't too good with it yet. But he had already insulted one of them once. Would they accept?  
"Hey, little guy, what's up? Why are you skulking down here?" Kushina bounded down the stairs and smiled at him. "Aren't you sleepy?"

Though he bristled at being called a _little_ guy, he stood up straight and faced the smiling teenager. "I just wanted to ask you if the Uzumaki clan takes any students."

"Why, you want to learn?" Kushina grinned, knowing she hit the jackpot. "Do you?"

"..yes."

"Well then, I can teach you." Kushina decided. "You're leaving soon. I can give you a copy of the Uzumaki kenjutsu (Uzumaki-style/Uzumaki-ryu) and you can take it with you for now. I'll visit Konoha as soon as I'm able."

"Wait, wait," Kakashi couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You're going to give me a copy of your forms book? But, isn't that..isn't that a clan secret that you shouldn't divulge to others?"

"Hey, Minato wasn't originally part of our clan either," Kushina smiled brightly. "He is now."

Kakashi frowned then straightened up. "I won't be a part of your clan, if that's what you're thinking."

"Oh no, you have it wrong." Kushina rubbed her neck. "What I mean is, Minato is part of our family. As for you, our clan has a policy to share information with those worthy...because even if they learn our techniques, they can't perform it at full power without the jinki seal anyway. That's why most people who learn our style eventually develop their own style from the original, to fit them better. You use a short tanto, so you might want to change it too."

Kakashi nodded, secretly excited. "Do you have the book now?"

"Yeah, I'll go ask Dad for it. You coming?"

"Uhm, I promised to a training session with sensei.."

"This late?" Kushina frowned. "Oh well. Goodnight then. I'll give it to you later." She ruffled his hair and left. "Sleep tight."

Kakashi watched her walk up the stairs, then fought his bits and pieces of pride down. "Thank you!"

"No problem."

"So what's so important you're keeping things from Minato too?" Jiraiya furrowed his brow as he sat down in Sarutobi's room. "He's a Jounin. He's fully authorized and capable to hear this."

"He's having the time of his life. I don't want to bother that," Sarutobi replied softly.

"If this is a serious issue, which I bet it is, then he has a right to know. Besides, you yourself know every ninja's duty is to his village, first and foremost." Jiraiya's eyes narrowed. "...Is it Iwa? What's going on? When I left, I remember there being some borderline disturbances..."

Sarutobi sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Yes, it's Iwa. But I'm not afraid just because they've been making little skirmishes. Iwa has been gathering allies, and things aren't looking too good."

"Damn it!" Jiraiya exploded. "Why the hell did you send me away to this place when you knew you might need critical information? I could have been out there, gathering info for the village, not having a vacation!"

"You were getting on my nerves," Sarutobi remarked dryly. "Besides, your claim was just. You did deserve a vacation and you missed Minato too much to function normally. Also, just because you were gathering information we would've known later doesn't mean Iwa's going to stop forming alliances with other shinobi villages that don't like us."

"So is it Kiri? Or Kumo?" Jiraiya pounded his hand on top of the desk. "Now what are you going to do since there's a war at our doorstep? Wait, is there a war already? Aw man this is one shitty situation. I don't know what the heck is going on because you are not telling me anything."

"I'm afraid there will be a war. A big one. But I don't plan on recalling Minato." Sarutobi's mouth set into a grim line.

"What?" Jiraiya looked incredulous. "You're crazy, right? Minato is strong. You need him for this war. This is also a chance for him to make a name for himself. You need every single ninja possible in order to wage against Iwa and Kumo."

"I know that. Don't think you need to coach me on how to regulate my shinobi." Sarutobi's voice was like ice. Jiraiya shut his mouth and muttered a sorry. This was the Hokage he was speaking with.

"But still," Jiraiya lowered his head respectfully but kept on speaking. "You can't get sentimental about this. You need to do this for everyone. Minato's one of the strongest ninja there is. He's soon to be sixteen! And he's already a Jounin, and a genius. He's my student. This war will be an opportunity for Konoha to reassert its superiority, and to help Minato refine his skills and be renowned throughout the world. Recall him old man. You can't show favoritism."

"It's not favoritism," Sarutobi argued. "I made a pact with Naoki. Naoki considers Minato his son..Minato's starting his life here. He goes to school too, didn't you see? Who knows how long this war will take? What will that do to Minato's life here?"

"Then send him out only when he's needed," Jiraiya insisted. "You don't have to station him at the front lines every single time there's a clash. That's not what I'm saying. I don't want to get my student killed," Jiraiya tried to make a joke. "But it's time to call Minato back. He can always go back later."

Sarutobi looked down. He knew Jiraiya was right. It wasn't that he was showing favoritism, or just plain being kind. He pitied the boy. Minato's childhood had been about war. The Second Great Shinobi War. Being a genius, he had been sent out to battle at a very early age. It had made Minato quiet and repressive. And now his teenage years were going to be taken over by the black shadow of war once again. "You're right. I'll tell Naoki that I need Minato."

"He's not going to take it lightly." In the last couple of weeks, he saw how protective and loving the Uzumaki had become of his student.

"I know that better than you do."

* * *

Despite how prepared they were for the moment, Naoki's chilly gaze frightened them all. Naoki was usually a very nice, friendly, warm man. Sarutobi wasn't so sure about this unseen side of Naoki. "I'm sorry, but it must be done."

Naoki snorted. It was so unlike him Jiraiya shifted nervously on his feet. He was one of the legendary Sannin, yet, Naoki's angered presence made him anxious.

Naoki fixed his cold silver gray eyes onto Sarutobi. "I thought you said Minato was going to stay here until he at least finishes college."

"I know. And I'm sorry. But this is an unpredicted situation. We need every man out on the field." Sarutobi tried to look apologetic, but Naoki was everything but forgiving.

"So you're going back on your words?" Naoki's frosty tone made them flinch. Some seasoned shinobi they are. "Minato is my son. Even if you have claim on him as a ninja, I will tell you now, as your friend, and as the father of one of your ninja, that you are not taking him to his death."

"He won't die." Sarutobi argued. "Minato is one of the finest ninja in the village. He might even become Hokage, if he keeps this up."

"You and I both know well, that death doesn't strike at the most opportune times," Naoki closed his eyes and leaned back into his leather chair. "Even the most skilled can die at any moment."

"Naoki, please." Sarutobi pleaded. "I know how you feel. I deal with this guilt and fear every time I send ninja onto a dangerous mission. Or any mission, for that matter, because it can turn into a life-and death situation. Right now, Konohagakure is facing war, and we need Minato. Please, trust in him."

Naoki stonily watched the two ninja in front of him. "Fine. But first, you will not take Minato without his consent. Two, you will speak with Miki and all three of my _other_ children-" he stressed the word other "-and Minato will go only after he finishes the first part of his training with us. You will also allow him back when he has tests, or other activities he must partake in. You will also allow him back whenever he wishes it. Got it?"

"That's a lot of conditions." Jiraiya crossed his arms. He wasn't too happy with how Naoki was treating Minato as his son. Jiraiya too, considered Minato as his son. Maybe he was jealous?

Sarutobi shushed him. "I understand. Let's go speak with Minato first, shall we?"

Naoki stood. "He's probably down in the basement. I know my son, and I know he has a strong sense of duty, so he's probably going to go with you. I just hope you won't take advantage of that."

"Advantage? What is this?" A shocked voice startled them all. A crack of the door revealed a horrified Miki, hair wet and in her pajamas. "Minato, being sent off to war? What is this madness?"

"Honey," Naoki rushed over to her side. "I hate to bring such bad news on your birthday, but.." he looked scathingly at the two ninja in the room. "Apparently there is no other solution."

"This is unbelievable." Miki yelled. "What's this, North Korea? Where they send off little children out to the battlefield for 'special training?' This is child abuse!"

"At the same time, he is a shinobi!" Jiraiya looked sternly at her. "I understand how you feel, but this is his duty."

"No, you don't understand!" Miki charged up to Jiraiya, unfazed with his immense size. She glared up at him without a hint of fear. "You have no children. You can't possibly understand how I feel. Minato's just barely started opening up to us more. And now you want to take him away? Don't be so selfish."

"You're the one being selfish," Jiraiya countered, angry. "I too, think of Minato as my child. This is a war. Konoha's future is at stake. And yet, you're unwilling to let Minato help defend his home?"

"_This_ is his home!" Miki hissed. "This is where his family is. So what if I am being selfish? Can't every mother afford to be selfish once in a while?"

"Maybe for your own child, yes." Jiraiya couldn't stop himself. His resentment from the past week spilled over. "Not for a boy from a different dimension who's not even of your blood."

"Watch your tongue!" Sarutobi cut sharply. "Be quiet, Jiraiya. I am extremely sorry Miki, Naoki. But you need to see that Minato is needed. That's why we're going to ask his opinion, right now."

Shaken, Miki just shot a baleful, and slightly teary look and rushed out the door. Naoki looked as if he wanted to kick Jiraiya out of the house this very moment. He schooled his features quickly, then headed out the door after his wife.

Sarutobi sighed for the umpteenth time. Rubbing his forehead, he noticed a little bug sitting on top of Naoki's books. "Aburame-san, please remember you are a guest, and that this is not the ninja world. Your caution is unnecessary."

The bug flew off in a quiet buzz.

* * *

"A war?" Minato couldn't believe his ears. Another one? Flashes of blood and dead comrades flew by. "With Iwa?"

"Yes. And we want you to participate." Sarutobi looked squarely at the blonde. "You are a ninja. You are bound to the village to help defend the village in time of war."

"But your parents," Jiraiya put a slight emphasis on the word. "Are demanding you get a choice in this matter." He gave his student a pointed, expectant look. "So?"

Minato hesitated. Normally he would have said yes, right off the bat. To be a ninja, to protect the village and everything in it, had been his everything. But now? With his new family, school, friends, and Kushina, did he really dare to put his own selfishness before his duty? "I..will return to the village. For as long as I'm needed. But," He firmly held ground and met Sarutobi's eyes. "I will return."

The Hokage nodded. "Yes, of course. This is settled then?"

"Not yet," Naoki gritted his teeth. "Minato's training? And Kushina, Temjin, Shinzou are still unaware."

"I'll talk to them." Minato looked down. "But other than the Uzumaki-ryu, how will I train for the Rozuzansei without my master? I memorized all the forms, but I have no idea how to utilize them."

"I've already taken care of that." Naoki smiled at Minato fondly. "Shuu will be here tomorrow. She was at the party tonight, even if no one noticed her."

Minato was surprised. He didn't realize she was there at all. "Oh, okay then."

"As for the Uzumaki-ryu, I'm going to drill in the taijutsu and kenjutsu into you myself." Naoki's expression became sterner. "Be up by five tomorrow."  
Minato grinned. He was definitely ready for some training.

Miki burst into tears. She ran up and hugged Minato. "This is the worst birthday ever!" She sobbed. "You know it's considered extremely infilial in our clan if the child dies before the parent, right?"

Minato patted her back. "That's not going to happen. I promise."

Miki nodded and mopped her eyes. Naoki put a hand onto his shoulder. "I hope you know what you're getting yourself into."

"The war? I've been in a war before." From behind, Miki glared at Sarutobi for getting Minato into a war as a younger kid.

Naoki shook his head. "No, I meant explaining all this to your siblings. Especially Kushina and Shinzou. You know how hotheaded they get."

Minato gulped. Jiraiya just tsked. "Don't be so lax just because you're not in the ninja world. Make sure the clan heads don't notice much."

Minato winced. Shinzou and Kushina were very..._loud_ people. "I'll do my best."

* * *

Sorry this took so long guys! I was busy with a lot of stuff...and I really needed to sort out the plot line for this fic. So hopefully, things will be a little more upbeat and moving faster now.

I never knew time could pass by this quickly! I've been thinking it haven't been too long since I last updated for this story, but when I checked the dates, it was more than 4 months! I updated in the middle of summertime, and now I'm already near the end of my first semester at school.

I'm currently in winter break, so I might get another chapter up, but don't count on it. If you guys give me lots of reviews, then maybe I'll focus on this fic more than my other ones:)

THanks for reading!

-Hulk

P.s. Those of you reading my "TEAM BADASS" story, I will have another chapter up by tommorrow or the day after. If you don't read "TEAM BADASS", Bad! Go read it!


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